NEW MEXICO IS REPORTING ITS FIRST FLU DEATHS THIS SEASON. FIVE PEOPLE ... ALL OVER THE AGE OF 50 ... DIED OF FLU IN BERNALILLO, RIO ARRIBA, LEA AND CHAVEZ COUNTIES. STATE EPIDEMIOLOGIST CHAD SMELSER TELLS US IT TOOK A WHILE TO DETERMINE THEY WERE ACTUAL FLU DEATHS BECAUSE PEOPLE SOMETIMES GET A SECONDARY INFECTION. HE SAYS THAT CAN LEAD TO A PERSON PASSING AWAY, SO THE STATE NEEDS TO THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATE DEATHS OCCURRING NOW TO MAKE SURE IF THEY'RE FLU-RELATED, OR NOT.

 

SMELSER SAYS THE FLU SHOT IS THE BEST DEFENSE FOR AT-RISK PATIENTS, WHO INCLUDE THE ELDERLY, PREGNANT WOMEN, CHILDREN UNDER 5, PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC MEDICAL CONDITIONS, AND NATIVE AMERICANS.

 

HE SAYS THE BEST PREVENTION METHODS ARE A FLU SHOT EACH YEAR, WASHING YOUR HANDS FREQUENTLY, AND STAYING HOME IF YOU GET THE FLU. HE SAYS YOU CAN INFECT ANOTHER PERSON 5-TO-7 DAYS AFTER THE ONSET OF SYMPTOMS.