Flu cases decline in San Diego County this week, but still 3 times as many cases as last year

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - County health officials announced today that the amount of flu cases in San Diego County declined compared to the past week.

Two people have died from the flu so far this year, 362 cases have been reported since the start of the 2019-20 flu season, and 30 flu cases were confirmed by labs, according to county officials.

In the 2018-19 flu season, flu killed 77 people and labs confirmed 9,655 cases in San Diego County, according to the county's Health and Human

Services Agency.

"The flu season can be unpredictable," said Dr. Wilma Wooten, the county's public health officer. "We're seeing relatively low flu activity

right now, but it's still almost triple the cases for last year and it's fairly early in the season. Everyone should be getting their flu shots to not only protect themselves, but their family, friends and co-workers as well."

County health officials and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly advise the annual flu vaccination for everyone 6 months and older, especially in demographics with a heightened risk of serious complications like pregnant women, people with chronic medical conditions like lung disease and people age 65 or older.

Residents can take precaution against contracting the virus by frequently washing their hands, cleaning commonly touched surfaces and avoiding contact with sick people. Residents can also get the flu vaccine at local doctors' offices, retail pharmacies and the county's public health centers.

A full list of locations offering flu shots can be found at the county's immunization website, sdiz.org, or by calling 211 for the county's health hotline.