Flu claims Curry County man

Staff report

A 29-year-old Curry County man was among the first five confirmed flu-related deaths for the 2014-15 influenza season, according to the New Mexico Department of Health.

No other information was given on the man, but Marisa Bargsten, an infectious respiratory disease epidemiologist for the department, said all five people were in a high-risk category due to age and/or underlying medical conditions.

The other four deaths were a 79 year-old woman from Sandoval County, an 86 year-old woman and 81 year-old woman, both from Bernalillo County, and a 92 year-old woman from Los Alamos County.

Bargsten said the influenza season runs October through May.

“Usually, flu season peaks around late December and January,” Bargsten said. “Around the end of December (2013) we had (the season’s first) flu-related death.”

The predominant flu strain during the season has been influenza A(H3N2), a strain associated with more severe illness and death, especially in young children and people greater than 65 years of age.

Even though this season’s vaccine is less effective against the A(H3N2) strain than others, the department still recommends getting a flu shot from a medical provider or pharmacist. Bargsten said she didn’t have data for the state, but that nationwide vaccination rates are in line with previous years.

“Given the severity, it’s important to encourage people to get vaccinated if they haven’t been ... and if they have been infected, to talk with a medical professional about antiviral treatment,” Bargsten said. “It’s the second line of defense.”

Symptoms include sudden onset of fever, muscle pain, headache, extreme fatigue, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

The Department of Health recommends that everyone 6 months and older get vaccinated against flu, especially individuals in the following high-risk categories and their close contacts.

High-risk categories include:

• Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old

• Pregnant women (any trimester) and up to two weeks postpartum

• Adults 65 and older

• People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions like asthma, diabetes, lung or heart disease, and those who are immunocompromised

• People living in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities

• People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu

• American Indians and Alaskan Natives

• People who are morbidly obese

• Healthcare and early childhood personnel

During the previous influenza season, there were 242 pneumonia and influenza-related deaths in the state. So far this season, there are 59 between the first flu deaths and 54 pneumonia-related deaths.

Information: http://www.nmhealth.org