GREENSBORO, N.C. — North Carolina health officials say 11 more people died of complications from the flu last week, including a victim between the ages of 5 and 17 years old.
Combined with four additional deaths from previous weeks, the death toll for the 2019-2020 season has reached 90. That compared with 85 deaths for the same period in the 2018-2019 season.
Of the 90 deaths, 54 were aged 65 or older, 22 were ages 50 to 64, 11 were ages 25 to 49, two were between ages 5 to 17, and one death involved someone no older than 4.
Officials said hospitals across the state recorded more than 1,100 positive flu tests in the last week.
"We have seen a lot of Influenza A cases that have been causing the flu-related deaths but there have also been Influenza B and we have noticed that people that are unvaccinated have also been passing away with the flu," said Tammy Koonce with the Guilford County Health Department.
Although the flu was the most frequently identified respiratory virus, they slowed down last week.
"The rates have continued but they did slow a little bit last week but we are heading up to our peak for the season,"
"Typically we find that people with chronic illnesses typically get sicker with the flu. Those that have chronic illnesses, when they get the flu, that exacerbates their illness and in turn, cause their death," added Koonce.
Health officials say while they are seeing patients with alternating strains of the flu, many of the people getting sick are folks who aren't vaccinated.
"There's a different strain every year and the scientists are consistently working on the flu vaccine based on the circulating virus for the year, but we do still encourage people to get the flu vaccine perhaps if you do get the flu symptoms will last as long," said Koonce.
The CDC recommends flu vaccinations for everyone 6 months of age and older.
To keep the flu away wash hands frequently with soap and water or use an alcohol-based sanitizer gel.
Also When you sneeze or cough cover with a tissue -- and put in the trash right after.
"Also have some cough etiquette. If you should develop a cough make sure you’re coughing in the crook of your arm and your elbows so that you don’t spread the germs so easily. If you cough in your hand you may forget that you just coughed and you go and shake hands with somebody and you pass on germs to them," continued Koonce.
Doctors warn that if you do have the flu you should stay home at least until the fever has been gone for about 24 hours.