First flu death reported in South Dakota

A resident in Pennington County, S.D., died from the flu Nov. 26, marking the state's first flu death in the 2018-19 flu season, according to Fox News.

The resident has not been identified but was in the 60- to 69-year-old age group, the health department said.

The health department report also outlined 35 lab-confirmed flu cases and eight flu-related patient hospitalizations. Every year about 33 people die in South Dakota from the flu.

"Our sympathy is with the family. Their loss serves as a reminder to us all that influenza can be a very serious illness," Joshua Clayton, an epidemiologist for the health department, said.

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