SAN JOSE, Calif. -- This year's flu season is off to a deadly start.
More than 900 people have died from influenza since the beginning of October in California, more than have died at this point in any of the last six respiratory virus seasons, according to a report released Friday by the California Department of Public Health.
kAmp BF2CE6C @7 E9@D6 562E9D 92G6 366? 2>@?8 A6@A=6 F?56C ed J62CD @=5] ~=56C 7@=<D E6?5 E@ 36 E96 >@DE 2E C:D<[ H:E9 23@FE f__ A6@A=6 ed 2?5 @=56C 5J:?8 D@ 72C E9:D J62C 7C@> E96 4@>>@? G:CFD] qFE 2E =62DE 'd 49:=5C6? 92G6 2=D@ DF44F>365 E@ E96 7=F[ :?4=F5:?8 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?34D2?5:68@]4@>^?6HD^=@42=^7@FCE9\D2?\5:68@\4@F?EJ\E66?\5:6D\7C@>\7=F^bfddddc^Qm7@FC E66?286CD :? $2? s:68@ r@F?EJk^2m[ C2:D:?8 4@?46C?D]k^Am kAm(96? 4@>A2C65 E@ E96 52E2 C6A@CE65 @G6C E96 4@FCD6 @7 AC6G:@FD 7=F D62D@?D[ E96 E@== E9:D J62C 92D 2=C625J 6IA=@565 A2DE E96 E@E2=D 7C@> E96 =2DE D6G6C2= 7=F D62D@?D]k^AmkAmpE E9:D A@:?E @7 E96 D62D@?[ (66< f[ E96C6 H6C6 23@FE d__ 562E9D =2DE D62D@?[ 2?5 e__ E96 J62C 367@C6[ 3FE :? 3@E9 @7 E9@D6 D62D@?D E96 562E9D 925 2=C625J DE2CE65 E@ A=2E62F 3J >:5\u63CF2CJ] %9:D J62C[ E96 ?F>36C @7 562E9D 92D J6E E@ D9@H D:8?D @7 D=@H:?8]k^AmkAm"xE'D 2 DFCAC:D6" D2:5 sC] !6E6C r9:?\w@?8[ 2 &r $2? uC2?4:D4@ AC@76DD@C @7 >65:4:?6 H9@ DA64:2=:K6D :? :?764E:@FD 5:D62D6D] w6 D2:5 :E H2D AC@;64E65 E@ 36 2? 2G6C286 D62D@?[ 3FE :E :D EFC?:?8 @FE E@ 36 2?JE9:?8 3FE] p?5 H:E9 E6DE A@D:E:G:EJ C2E6D DE:== 9:89[ E96C6 2C6 2E =62DE 2 76H H66<D =67E @7 E96 G:CFD'D D6?5:?8 A6@A=6 E@ E96 9@DA:E2= 367@C6 :E C6EC62ED 7@C :ED 2??F2= 9:36C?2E:@?[ H9:49 FDF2==J 368:?D 2D DAC:?8 EFC?D E@ DF>>6C]k^Am kAm"xE :D DFCAC:D:?8[ 7:CDE @7 2== E92E H6 5:5?'E D66 >F49 r~'xs[ 2?5 D64@?5=J E92E H6 D2H 2 =@E @7 7=F[" r9:?\w@?8 D2:5] "p?5 ?@E ;FDE 7=F -- 325 7=F H9:49 :D >2<:?8 A6@A=6 D6C:@FD=J :==]"k^AmkAmw6 D2:5 :E :D :>A@CE2?E 7@C A6@A=6 E@ <?@H E92E 56DA:E6 :ED 36:?8 =2E6 :? E96 EJA:42= G:CFD D62D@?[ :E :D ?@E E@@ =2E6 E@ 86E G244:?2E65 282:?DE :?7=F6?K2[ H96E96C E96J 92G6 925 @?6 DEC2:? 2=C625J @C ?@E] r9:?\w@?8 2=D@ H2?ED E@ C6>:?5 A6@A=6 @7 E96 2?E:G:C2=D 2G2:=23=6 E@ 4@>32E E96 H@CDE @FE4@>6D]k^AmkAm%2>:7=F[ 2? 2?E:G:C2= FD65 E@ EC62E E96 7=F[ 42? 2=D@ 36 FD65 AC@A9J=24E:42==J E@ AC6G6?E E96 DAC625 @7 E96 G:CFD H:E9:? 2 9@FD69@=5[ 2?5 r9:?\w@?8 H@F=5 C64@>>6?5 E9@D6 H9@ 2C6 =:G:?8 H:E9 6=56C=J @C 2E\C:D< 72>:=J >6>36CD E@ 2D< E96:C 5@4E@C 23@FE :E]k^AmkAm"%96 =2DE C62==J 325 7=F D62D@? H2D :? a__h[ 7@C DH:?6 7=F[" r9:?\w@?8 D2:5[ "D:?46 E96? :E 92D <:?5 @7 366? C68F=2C 7=F D62D@?D[ F?E:= E9:D J62C]"k^Amk9C ^mkAm©a_ad |65:2}6HD vC@FA[ x?4] ':D:E 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]>6C4FCJ?6HD]4@>Qm>6C4FCJ?6HD]4@>k^2m] s:DEC:3FE65 3J k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]EC:3F?64@?E6?E286?4J]4@>Qm%C:3F?6 r@?E6?E p86?4J[ {{r]k^2mk^Am