Local doctor speaks on spike in local flu deaths

Video Credit: KTNV Channel 13 Las Vegas
Published on January 11, 2020 - Duration: 02:25s

Local doctor speaks on spike in local flu deaths

It's a severe flu season nationwide, and we’re seeing the effects in Clark County.

The Southern Nevada Health District is reporting five new flu deaths, including a child.

Jeremy Chen reports.


Local doctor speaks on spike in local flu deaths

AND....WE'RE SEEING THE EFFECTS.....HERE IN CLARK COUNTY.THE SOUTHERN NEVADA HEALTHDISTRICT IS REPORTING....-5- NEW FLU DEATHS...INCLUDING A CHILD...IN JUST THIS LAST WEEK.13 ACTION NEWS REPORTER.....JEREMY CHEN SPOKE WITH ADOCTOR....IS LIVE....WITH WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW...TO KEEP YOUR FAMILY SAFE.TRICIA THOSE ARE SOBERINGNUMBERS THAT WE'RE RELEASEDTODAY-AND HEALTH OFFICIALS ARECONTINUING TO STRESS THEIMPORTANCE OF GETTING YOUR FLUSHOT."WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THENUMBER OF DEATHS ANDHOSPITALIZATIONS ARE FARTHERDURING THIS TIME OF YEAR."THAT'S HOW BOARD-CERTIFIEDDOCTOR DAHLIA WACHS DESCRIBESTHIS YEAR'S FLU SEASON.IN CLARK COUNTY ALONE- THEREHAVE BEEN FIVE NEW FLU DEATHSBRINGING TO TOTAL NUMBER TO 11.THIS INCLUDES THE COUNTY'SFIRST CHILD DEATH- MANY OF THEOTHER DEATHS WERE SENIORCITIZENS- AN ESPECIALLYVULNERABLE POPULATION."ONE YOU GET OVER 65, YOU DOLOSE SOME OF YOUR IMMUNEFUNCTION AND LIKE INFANTS WHO ALOT OF THE TIMES DON'T HAVETHEIR IMMUNE FUNCTION FULLYDEVELOPED, SO THAT'S WHAT WETHINK WHY THEY'RE MOREVULNERABLE." NATIONWIDE--NEARLY 10 MILLION CASES WEREREPORTED- WITH 48 HUNDREDDEATHS-INCLUDING 32CHILDREN.THE MOST SINCE THE C-D-CSTARTED TRACKING CHILD DEATHSIN 2004.CHILDREN HAVE BEEN ESPECIALLYHIT HARD BY THE B-STRAIN OFTHE VIRUS.DOCTOR WACHS SAYS THE FLU CANLEAD TO MORE SERIOUSCOMPLICATIONS."THE FLU NECESSARILY MIGHT NOTKILL, BUT IT COULD INVITEPNEUMONIA OR SEPSIS OR OTHERINFECTIONS AND TAKE OVER THATUNFORTUNATELY CAN BE THE CAUSEOF DEATH." SHE SAYS THERE ARESOME SYMPTOMS LIKE COUGHS ORFEVER- THAT NEED TO BE TAKENSERIOUSLY IF IT BECOMES WORSE."IF THE COUGH STARTS TURNINGWET, DEEP AND YOU HAVE CHESTPAINS, YOU HAVE TROUBLEBREATHING, YOU'RE DIZZY." SHEIMPLORES PEOPLE TO GET THEIRFLU SHOTS- AS IT CAN EITHERPREVENT THE FLU OR MITIGATESYMPTOMS."MITIGATING FLU SYMPTOMS CANSAVE LIVES." DOCTOR WACHS SAYSIT'S NOT TOO LATE TO GETVACCINATED."WE ARE CURRENTLY IN PEAK FLUSEASON AND FLU SEASON DOESN'TEND UNTIL THE END OF SPRING, SOTHERE'S PLENTY OF TIME TO GETTHE FLU SHOT."DOCTORS ARE RECOMMENDINGEVERYONE TO GET THEIR FLU SHOT-ESPECIALLY FOR SENIOR CITIZENSOR YOUNG CHILDREN.JEREMY CHEN 13 ACTION NEWS.THE DREAM SEASON FOR LIBERTYHIGH SCHOOL'S FOOTBAL

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