San Francisco Victim Aged Under 65 Dies of Flu as Residents Urged To Get Vaccinated
Written by Garrett LeahyPublished Dec. 02, 2022 • 2:50pm
Public Health
An illustration shows an influenza (flu) virus with surface glycoprotein spikes hemagglutinin (HA, trimer, red) and neuraminidase (NA, tetramer, purple). The glycan components of the hemagglutinin spikes are green. Hemagglutinin takes part in attachment of a virus to human respiratory cells and neuraminidase participates in a release of virus from a cell.
San Francisco reported its first flu death Thursday, the city's Department of Public Health said.
The victim was under the age of 65 and was not vaccinated, and they had preexisting medical conditions, the health department said in a press release.
The department warned this will likely be the worst flu season since the onset of the pandemic, and urged San Franciscans to get vaccinated.
There has already been 8.7 million recorded flu illnesses, 78,000 hospitalizations and 4,500 deaths from the flu nationally this season, according to the most conservative estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The 2021-2022 flu season saw 9 million illnesses, 4 million medical visits, 10,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths, according to CDC estimates.
Those at the highest risk of severe illness or hospitalization are young children, older adults, pregnant people, smokers and anyone with chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease among other groups, the health department said.
Cases of flu, Covid and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have been increasing in San Francisco, following statewide and nationwide trends, the department said.
Garrett Leahy can be reached at [email protected]
