San Mateo County records second flu-related death

REDWOOD CITY – A child died last month in San Mateo County after contracting the flu, marking the area’s second flu-related death of the season, health officials announced Wednesday.

The patient had not received a flu shot this season, and it was not known if underlying health conditions played a role in the death, according to San Mateo County Health.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of a young person in our community to influenza,” county Health Officer Dr. Kismet Baldwin-Santana said in a statement. “There are steps people can take to protect themselves and those around them, including getting vaccinated, staying home when sick and practicing preventative measures.”

Health officials did not release any other details about the case.

San Mateo County, along with the rest of the Bay Area, is experiencing an uptick in flu-related activity, health officials said. There were 314 flu-related emergency department visits for the week of Dec. 21-27, an increase of 98 from the previous week, while test positivity was 15.4%, an increase of 20% from the previous week.

Flu-related deaths of people under the age of 65 increased from nine in 2023-24 to 18 in 2024-25.

Health officials noted that flu activity usually increases during the fall-winter respiratory virus season.

Influenza can cause serious illness and complications, especially for people 65 years and older, people with certain chronic medical conditions and children under the age of 5, health officials said. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, vomiting and diarrhea.

To treat the flu, health care providers can prescribe antiviral medications, which can reduce the length and severity of the illness but must be given close to the onset of symptoms.

Flu vaccination reduces the risk of serious illness, including hospitalization and death, according to health officials. San Mateo County Health and the California Department of Health recommend that everyone 6 months and older receive the flu vaccine every year. Vaccines are available from health care providers and most pharmacies.

“Vaccination remains our strongest protection,” Baldwin-Santana said. “Getting the flu shot helps protect not only yourself but also your family, classmates and neighbors.”

“We urge everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated and to take flu symptoms seriously,” she said.