Rochester, N.Y.- The flu season has arrived, and Monroe County has had its first flu-related death.
John Ricci of the Monroe County Health Department confirmed the person who died was over the age of 65.
“It's not unusual, unfortunately, that we actually have people who die from the flu,” said Ricci. “Flu is a serious illness, it's something we have a vaccine to prevent, and we encourage people to make use of the vaccine."
Each year there are different strains of the flu. Ricci said the strain most prevalent this year is actually contained in the flu vaccine, making it a good match.
The health department said flu activity is starting to pick up in Monroe County, but it doesn't typically reach peak levels until January or February, so there is still time to benefit from getting vaccinated.
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