El Dorado County Flu-related Death is a Painful Reminder To Continue Preventive Efforts
Margaret Williams, Health and Human Services Agency
(Placerville, CA) – The Public Health Division of the El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency has received a report of a death of an El Dorado County resident caused by seasonal influenza. The death occurred in November 2022. “This flu-related fatality is a painful reminder that COVID-19 is not the only illness threatening the most vulnerable among us,” said El Dorado County Public Health Officer, Dr. Nancy Williams. “Besides COVID-19, cases of other respiratory illnesses are occurring in much greater numbers this fall than we’ve seen in several years. Continued vigilance to prevent the spread of infectious illnesses in our communities remains important for everyone.”
According to Dr. Williams, this most recent flu-related fatality is the first to occur among an El Dorado County resident in nearly three years. The last flu-related death of an El Dorado County resident was reported in February 2020.
“Precautions taken during the pandemic to prevent transmission of COVID, like masking and staying away from other people when ill, worked well at reducing the incidence of respiratory illnesses, including flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and the common cold,” said Dr. Williams. “Unfortunately, relaxing our precautions has resulted in those illnesses spreading more freely again. We are hearing reports of many people missing school and work this fall.”
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Content retrieved from: https://www.edcgov.us/Government/hhsa/pressreleases/2022/Pages/El-Dorado-County-Flu-Related-Death-is-Painful-Reminder-to-Continue-Preventive-Efforts.aspx.