First flu-related deaths of the season reported in North Carolina

CHARLOTTE — Two people have died from complications with influenza, health authorities in North Carolina announced on Wednesday.

The two deaths mark the first reported flu-related deaths of the 2023-2024 season, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

NCDHHS didn’t identify the two victims but said they were adults in the western part of the state.

One of the victims also had tested positive for COVID-19, DHHS reported. State Epidemiologist Dr. Zack Moore said having both the flu and COVID-19 “can lead to severe complications and even death in some cases.”

The NCDHHS encourages people to get flu vaccines, practice good hygiene, and stay home when sick.

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