THURSTON COUNTY, Wash. — Thurston County is starting the new year on a grim note. Public Health and Social Services says one person has died of the flu.
It’s the first death in the county for the 2024-2025 season and the 5th in the state according to the Washington State Department of Health.
In early December, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department reported its first flu death of the season. It was a woman in her 80s.
Health officials are urging anyone with flu symptoms to stay home and avoid contact with others unless they are to get medical care.
While most people with flu have mild symptoms, some people are at an increased risk of serious complications, including young children, people 65 and older, pregnant people, and people with certain medical conditions.
Health officials urge everyone to get the updated flu vaccine and do the following:
•Wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds with sudsy soap in warm water, or with hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
•Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose where germs like to enter.
•Stay home when you’re sick (even if it is “just a cold”) and isolate sick household members in separate rooms.
•Wear a mask in crowded or poorly ventilated settings.
•Limit the number of close contacts for young infants and individuals with certain chronic conditions.
•Clean high-touch surfaces frequently with a cleaner known to kill these common viruses.
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