First flu death of the season reported in Kansas City
Kansas City has its first victim of the new flu season, the Kansas City Health Department reported on Friday.
The victim, who was over 60, had underlying health problems, the department said, without disclosing whether the person was a man or woman.
This case follows one flu-related death in Johnson County and one in Wyandotte County reported earlier this month.
Federal health officials have warned that the season could get off to an early start. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in a tweet on Friday that several places across the country are reporting high levels of flu, “nearly double since last week to now.”
In Kansas City, as of Dec. 10, there were 212 reported cases of influenza, but health officials know that number could be low. Physicians are required to report confirmed cases to the health department.
“But we know influenza cases are highly undiagnosed and under-reported,” Tiffany Wilkinson, Communicable Disease Prevention and Public Health Preparedness division manager in the city’s health department, said in a statement.
“If one family member comes into the office with the flu, but the whole family has the same symptoms, the doctor does not typically need to test each family member. In that case, even though every family member likely has the flu, only one was confirmed and counted.”
As of Dec. 14, the last time flu data was updated, five people in Missouri and four in Kansas had died because of the flu, health officials in those states reported.
Last season, 92 deaths in Missouri and 96 in Kansas were linked to the illness.
Groups that are high-risk for dangerous complications caused by influenza include pregnant women, young children, people with compromised immune systems, people 65 years and older, and people with asthma, heart disease and stroke risk.
City health officials said it is not too late to get a flu shot. The Kansas City, Missouri, Immunization Clinic at 2400 Troost Ave. offers flu vaccinations during regular clinic hours: 8 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and 8 a.m. to noon on Thursdays.
There is no out-of-pocket cost for children and adults who are uninsured or under-insured, or those with Medicaid or Medicaid B. People with Medicare Advantage plans must get their shot from their primary care physician.
Find more information on the flu shot at kcmo.gov/health.
This story was originally published December 20, 2019 at 5:37 PM.
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