Katherine Acton, a 47-year old mother of two and a future bride from Alabama died because of the flu. Her death occurred one week after she has been diagnosed with influenza.
Acton’s death comes as a shock for her family members, her fiance, and her friends as she was a very healthy person who was regularly practicing physical activity.
The US officials of health institutes reported that this year’s flu epidemy is even more severe than the one of 2014/2015 when 34 million people got sick and more than 700,000 needed special medical care.
Authorities consider that this year’s influenza, as it widespread in the US, can kill more than 56,000 people if appropriate precautions will not be taken.
In Alabama, 1 pediatric influenza death has been registered this season, 1 adult death (Acton’s case), while 44 deaths that are assumed to be related to influenza are still under investigation.
Florida has also registered an increase in influenza-related cases, according to the reports presented in the Orlando Sentinel. Tragically, 3 children died in Florida this season due to the flu virus. The Department Of Health in Florida reported 52 influenza outbreaks in long-term facility care institutes and nursing homes.
Because the predictions are gloomy, the US Health’s officials accelerated their vaccinations campaigns underlining the importance of taking flu shots and antivirals such as Tamiflu. Moreover, despite the frequent anti-vaccination campaigns, especially in the online environment, doctors ensure people, once again, that the flu shots are only containing the dead forms of the flu virus and its strains which cannot get people sick.
During flu outbreaks, elderly, chronically ill people, children, and pregnant women are more prone to develop possible lethal secondary complications due to the flu virus infection.
Officials also recommend people to take the appropriate measures to protect themselves in order to avoid contracting the flu virus and, if already sick, to seek medical care and follow the given treatments schemes.
