Statewide Iowa — The Iowa Department of Public Health is reporting the first flu-related death of the 2017-2018 influenza season.
IDPH Medical Director, Dr. Patty Quinlisk, says the first flu-related death of the season was an elderly central Iowa man, who died earlier this month. THe IDPH defines “elderly” as anyone 81-years of age or older.
Quinlisk says the death is an indication that flu can be a serious illness. She says the death is an unfortunate reminder that the flu virus does have the potential to cause severe illness and death, especially in the very young, very old, or in people with underlying health conditions.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends that essentially everyone over 6-months of age should receive the flu vaccine. Quinlisk says now is a good time to be vaccinated, before the holiday season begins. She says it takes up to two weeks after vaccination for the body to acheive full benefit against the flu virus.
Dr. Quinlisk says the flu is a respiratory illness caused by viruses. The flu comes on suddenly and symptoms may include fever, headache, tiredness, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and body aches. Illness typically lasts two to seven days, and often puts healthy people in bed for days. The ‘stomach bug’ which causes diarrhea and vomiting is not caused by the influenza virus, but usually by norovirus; thus, the flu vaccine will not protect you against this illness.
To learn more about influenza in Iowa, visit http://idph.iowa.gov/influenza.
