This flu season has been deadlier for San Diego county than the last two seasons combined. The most recent county data published Thursday show 105 flu-related deaths reported so far this season compared to 60 between late 2023 and early 2024 and 44 deaths between 2022 and 2023. This year county officials say four teenagers are among those who died and most of those who died — 71— had no record of receiving a flu shot.
Doctors warn that this year’s flu strain is hitting harder, and vaccination remains the best protection. County data show nearly 80% of kids ages 5 to 17 in the county have not received a flu shot. That puts them at higher risk for severe illness, according to Dr. Alice Pong, an infectious disease specialist at Rady Children's Hospital.
“They come in with primarily influenza, and then a lot of them then develop pneumonia and some other complications with bacteria, so it can be pretty severe,” Pong said.
While the flu primarily affects the lungs, it can also cause encephalitis, a dangerous brain inflammation, or myocarditis, which affects the heart. In severe cases, it spreads into the bloodstream and can cause multi-organ failure.
“This is just going to be a tougher flu season, just because of the strain, it gives you more severe symptoms,” said Dr. William Tseng with Kaiser Permanente.
Hospitals across the county are seeing a rise in cases. Flu admissions at Rady Children's Hospital are nearly double what they saw last year. Tseng said cases have been increasing for the past four weeks, signaling a second wave of infections.
He said while immunity from vaccines wanes over time, one shot should last the season. He doesn’t recommend a second dose.
Pong urges people to watch for warning signs of severe illness, including persistent fever, chest pain, difficulty breathing, and extreme fatigue.
“If their child’s not acting right, they’re sleeping all the time, and they’re not able to wake up — those are the kind of symptoms that make you really worried,” Pong said.
Both doctors said flu season could last until March, so it’s not too late to get vaccinated. They recommend practicing good hygiene, like frequent handwashing, and staying home when sick to help prevent further spread of the virus.
