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FLU UPDATE
Two Kanawha Death Reported From Flu; Health Department Urges People To Get Flu Shots

Reported by: Send eMail Rachael Tarr
Videographer: Troy Morgan
Web Producer: Jeff Morris
Reported: Jan. 15, 2013 12:22 PM EST
Updated: Jan. 16, 2013 10:21 AM EST

EYEWITNESS ONLINE WEBCAST VIDEO
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Charleston , Kanawha County , West Virginia

The Kanawha-Charleston Health Department continues to urge people to get the flu shot as the concern about the virus that has caused at least two deaths in Kanawha County grows.

The two people who died in Kanawha County were elderly had underlying conditions. Across the nation, the flu outbreak is the worst in four years.

If you would like to get a flu shot, contact your doctor or visit the health department during scheduled hours. Flu vaccinations are given daily at the health department, without an appointment, from 8 a.m.-4:00 pm.

The health department also is offering extended clinic hours on Monday, January 14, 2013 and Wednesday, January 23, 2013, both clinics from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm.

For additional information, contact the health department at 304-344-5243 or visit the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department’s website; www.kchdwv.org.

Eyewitness News is providing information to keep people informed about the flu. Visit our website at wchstv.com and go to our news page section. In the upper right corner, go to the 2012-2013 Flu Season banner. There you can click on Flu Prevention, Flu Care and FluView. Flu prevention offers tips from the Centers from Disease Control about how you can prevent the flu. Flu care offers tips from the CDC about how you can treat yourself if you get the flu. The FluView section offers a map of the United States, with a state-by-state breakdown of the current influenza status in each state.





As the flu epidemic has increased across the country, the head of the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department said there have been some deaths from the virus in the area.

Dr. Rahul Gupta did not give specifics on the locations and exact number of deaths, but he urged people to get a flu shot and to keep themselves protected.

In West Virginia, state public health officials say fewer than 1,400 cases of flu have been confirmed across the state but they're continuing to monitor the situation.

Public Health Commissioner Marian Swinker said Friday that flu-like symptoms are widespread, with more than 15,000 people telling doctors they were ill last month and nearly 4,400 reporting they're sick so far this month.

But as of Friday, only 1,393 case of influenza had been confirmed.

Across the country, this year’s flu outbreak is the worst in years. The virus has hit 47 states.

Gupta said the Centers for Disease Control doesn’t count the number of adult flu-related deaths. But concern over the dangers of the virus has prompted people who have never had flu shots to get vaccinated this year. If you need a flu shot, contact your doctor or local health department.



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