1st Tri-Cities flu death in a season that’s hitting hard and early

The Tri-Cities area has had its first flu death of the season, the Benton Franklin Health District said Wednesday evening.

A Franklin County man in his 90s died.

“Our hearts go out to the family,” said Heather Hill, public health nurse at the Tri-Cities based health district. “This is a reminder that influenza is a dangerous virus, and we cannot stress enough the importance of vaccinations.”

Usually flu hits the Tri-Cities hardest later in January, but it is making people ill earlier this year, she said on the Kadlec on Call podcast Wednesday.

Flu can be particularly dangerous for people who are elderly or who have underlying health conditions, but children in Washington state also have died of complications of the flu this year, she said.

Statewide 40 people had died of the flu this season, including three children, according to Washington state Department of Health data through Dec. 10.

The number of respiratory illnesses in the Tri-Cities now is “extremely high,” she said.

Hospitals have reported in recent weeks that their emergency departments and urgent clinics are busy with people with respiratory illnesses, causing long waits to be seen at times.

Some Tri-Cities schools were seeing as many as 20% of students absent due to respiratory illnesses before school let out for the winter holiday break.

In addition to flu, the health district is reporting continuing cases of COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, which is a common virus but can be serious for very young children who have not been exposed to it previously and the elderly.

It’s too late to get a flu vaccine to be protected for Christmas gatherings, but getting the vaccine now will help protect people as the virus continues to spread this winter, Hill said. The shot takes about two weeks to be fully effective.

This year’s flu virus appears to be a good match to protect against the flu circulating in Washington state, influenza A (H3N2), she said.

H3N2 is a strain that typically causes more severe disease, according to state health officials.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older, including pregnant and nursing people, get the flu vaccine annually.

The vaccine is not 100% effective, but even if people still get the flu after being vaccinated their illness should be less severe and they are less likely to be hospitalized, Hill said.

Flu usually comes on suddenly and symptoms can include fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headaches, tiredness, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea, particularly in children.

The prescription medicine Tamiflu can make flu symptoms less severe if taken within 48 hours of the first symptom, but it is in short supply across Washington state. Doctors may only write prescriptions for those most at risk of severe illness.

Shortages of over-the-counter medicines also are being reported. Some stores are limiting the number of cold medicines, particularly those for children, they will sell to a single person.

Tri-Cities parents have been sharing tips on Reddit about where to find cold medicines in stock in the Tri-Cities area.

With three respiratory illnesses, plus colds, circulating in the Tri-Cities now, the Benton Franklin Health District is recommending wearing a mask indoors in crowded areas. It urges people who are sick to stay home.

Washing hands often, avoiding touching your face, covering your cough, disinfecting surfaces that may be contaminated and having good ventilation also can help slow the spread of illnesses, it said.

This story was originally published December 21, 2022 at 8:03 PM.