The flu season has taken a deadly turn in the United States, claiming its second victim, an adult who had not received a vaccine. This latest fatality, reported in New Mexico’s Lea County, comes just a week after a six-year-old child in Texas, also unvaccinated, succumbed to the illness. The child’s death on February 27 marked the first flu-related fatality of the season. According to health officials, the adult who died was a resident of Lea County, which is approximately 50 miles from Gaines County, Texas, the epicenter of the current outbreak.
As the situation continues to unfold, it’s worth noting that the flu was declared “eradicated” in the US back in 2000. However, since then, the country has still seen sporadic cases and occasional outbreaks, resulting in fatalities – two in 2003 and one in 2015. The current outbreak is believed to have originated within a low-vaccination community of Mennonites in Texas. So far, 222 cases have been reported across the US, all within a span of less than three months. To put this into perspective, the entire year of 2020 saw 285 cases.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are closely monitoring the situation, with cases reported not just in Texas and New Mexico, but also in Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Washington. Meanwhile, neighboring Canada has also seen 227 cases of the flu, primarily in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia, with nearly all patients having not received the vaccine.
It’s a stark reminder of the importance of vaccination, especially for vulnerable populations. As health officials work to contain the outbreak, they urge everyone to take precautions, including getting vaccinated, to prevent further spread of the disease. With the flu season still in full swing, it’s crucial to remain vigilant and take necessary measures to protect ourselves and our communities.
Source: BBC