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Dallas County Records First Flu Death

(cc) Lance McCord (flickr.com)

By BJ Austin, KERA News

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-819221.mp3

Dallas, TX – Dallas County has recorded its first FLU death this season. KERA's BJ Austin says cases of influenza are rising.

The number of flu cases in Dallas County has doubled from the week before to 366. Jacqueline Bell, with the Health Department, says one death is now reported: a 49 year old Lancaster woman who died of influenza and MRSA pneumonia.

Bell: And many times it weakens the immune system and can allow opportunistic infections such as pneumonia, MRSA pneumonia, even encephalitis and meningitis to occur because of the way the influenza virus attacks your system.

In Tarrant County, the Health Department's Vanessa Joseph says they've seen their flu case estimate double over the past TWO weeks. She says flu season peaks later this month and it's not too late to get a flu shot.

Send E-mail to BJ Austin