The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control has confirmed its first 2018 flu-related death, according to News 13.
"Sadly, an individual from the Lowcountry region has died from complications due to the flu," Lilian Peake,MD, director of Public Health at the Columbia, S.C.-based South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, told News 13. "This is our first lab-confirmed, influenza-associated death of the season. Unfortunately, we see many deaths, hospitalizations and other serious complications of flu each year in South Carolina."
Vulnerable groups at risk of contracting the flu include children, pregnant women, people over the age of 65 and those with chronic health conditions such as diabetes, heart or lung disease or asthma, Dr. Peake said.
More articles on clinical leadership and infection control:
1 dead, 164 sickened in salmonella outbreak linked to turkey
US concerned about Congo's climbing Ebola cases
3 CHI Texas division hospitals get top marks from Leapfrog for patient safety