State flu deaths jump to 74

25 people under 65 have died in Bay Area, 5 in Santa Clara County, since season began Oct. 1, putting it on track to be the worst in a decade

Flu deaths of Californians younger than 65 soared again in the latest reporting period and now total 74, according to figures released Friday by state public health officials.

The latest figure represents a spike of 32 in addition to the 42 deaths announced by the state last week — and an increase of six in the Greater Bay Area over the same period.

Flu-related fatalities around the region now total 25, including six deaths in Contra Costa County; five in Santa Clara County; four in Monterey County; three in Santa Cruz County; two each in San Benito, San Mateo, and Solano counties; and one in Marin County.

“It is an unfortunate fact that every flu season is serious because many people, from children to parents and grandparents, can become very ill and some may die from the flu,” said Paul Leung, chief of the communicable disease programs at the Contra Costa Public Health Department.

Contra Costa County’s halfdozen flu deaths this early in the flu season already have surpassed the four flu deaths the county recorded during its entire 2016-17 flu season.

This influenza season, which began Oct. 1, has exploded over the last month in the Golden State, and is on track to being the worst in 10 years. State public health officials are urging anyone who has not yet received the flu vaccine to get one immediately.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now estimates this year’s flu vaccine to be around 30 percent effective against H3N2 — the dominant strain of the virus circulating the planet. But, as public health officials are emphasizing, getting the flu shot is still the best way of protecting yourself from the flu, and reducing the severity of the virus if you contract it.

“Vaccines are like seat belts,” said Leung. “Seat belts may not prevent you from getting hurt at all, but they are very good at preventing serious injury and death.”

Leung and other experts say vaccines are especially impor-

tant for people at high risk for serious flu-related complications that can lead to hospitalization and even death. They include pregnant women; children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old; people 65 years of age and older; and people who have certain medical conditions,

such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease.

Flu is very common, and most cases are not diagnosed because the ill person does not seek health care, or if they do, a test for flu is not done, state public health officials say.

The only individual cases required to be reported by state and county public health departments are flu-associated deaths in people younger than 65, which state officials say helps them understand the severity of the influenza season.

Antiviral prescription drugs like Tamiflu can also help those who get the flu, and work best if started within two days of getting sick. Because some drugstores may have a limited supply, however, it’s best to call ahead to confirm availability.

For more information about influenza, visit the Calfiornia Department of Public Health website at http://bit.ly/2mldwQR.