First flu death reported in Bay Area

For anyone that has rolled their eyes every time the evening news has talked about the recent flu epidemic, you should really start taking this seriously.

Why? Because the widespread sickness has resulted in a death.

Health officials tell KGO-TV NBC Bay Area a Santa Clara County man woman died Tuesday in the first influenza-related death in the Bay Area.

There is no word on whether this 65-year-old 98-year-old flu victim is the same person Patch.com reported was rushed to the hospital the week of January 5.

California was not one of the 24 states named in the Centers of Disease Control’s report on a higher-than-usual influenza outbreak for the 2012-2013 flu season. And while the number of flu cases nationwide has reportedly eased in recent weeks, it is still a health threat.

Particularly with the abnormally cold weather we’ve been having in the Bay Area as of late.

The CDC estimates around 36,000 people die from the flu every year.

So, how does one go about avoiding getting the virus all together? Lots of sleep, healthy eating, hand sanitizer — and yes, a flu shot — are good starting points.