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Spokane Co. flu deaths up to 15, almost all were unvaccinated

At this time last season, there had been 491 hospitalizations and 31 deaths in Spokane County.

SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — Fifteen people have died of influenza and 299 more have been hospitalized in Spokane County during the 2018-19 flu season so far.

According to the Spokane Regional Health District, 94 percent of the people who died of the flu were not vaccinated. This means only one person out of 15 was vaccinated.

Seventy-two percent of the people hospitalized for flu were not vaccinated, according to the health district. 

As of Feb. 26, 14 people had died of the flu in Spokane County. 

At this time last season, there had been 513 hospitalizations and 32 deaths in Spokane County, according to the health district.

Health officials said there were 12 cases of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, in Spokane County during the month of February. January saw four cases reported and there were two cases of pertussis in the county in December.

There have not been any pertussis cases reported in March, according to the health district. 

In December, health district officials said they saw a drop in flu hospitalizations and deaths compared to last year. 

More than 600 people were hospitalized during last year's flu season, according to health officials. Typically, that number is between 180 and 250.

In December 2017, 77 people had been hospitalized for the flu and three people had died in Spokane County alone.

"Last year was a pretty scary year in terms of severity,” Spokane Regional Health Epidemiologist Mark Springer said.

Springer said the high number of flu cases last year could be the reason more people are getting their flu shots this year.

The peak flu season is usually between January and March. In December, Springer said it was too early to tell if Spokane County would have a normal flu season or if a more severe one was headed to the area. 

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