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It's only natural that you are changing, you're more likely to get flu, but there are a few ways to prevent the flu naturally. Buzz60's Sean Dowling has more.
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A patient smiles as receiving a flu shot from a medical assistant.(Photo: Getty Images)

A 60-year-old Riverside man died from complications of the flu – the first reported influenza-related death in Riverside County in the current flu season, Health officials said on Friday.

"This is a tragic reminder that the flu still kills," said Dr. Cameron Kaiser, the county public health officer. "We continue to recommend community members get their flu shot."

According to county Public Health Disease Control Specialist Barbara Cole, there were 23 flu-related deaths involving residents or 64 during the 2017-18 flu season. She said the most recent victim. Exacerbated his condition, officials said.

During the last year before the Board of Supervisors, Kaiser emphasized the need for inoculations by referencing the 100-year anniversary of the pandemic influenza of 1918, when the so-called "Spanish Flu" rampaged across several continents. Nearly 700,000 people died in the United States at the time, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There were an estimated 500 million infections globally, resulting in about 50 million deaths.

RELATED:More California kids get their shots

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Kaiser reported that last season's flu vaccines were only 40 percent effective against the viral strains that spread across the county and state. However, even at the lower level of protection, "you're still 40 percent less likely to get flu, and even if you do get it, it's usually less severe," he said.

The flu is a respiratory illness marked by fever, coughing, sore throat, fatigue, head and body aches. Vomiting and diarrhea are also known to occur.

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According to Cole, frequent hand-washing and "social distancing" are the best ways to avoid contracting the flu, which is passed down to a person's sickness or sneeze.

People fighting infections abate, she said.

Flu shots are available at the Riverside University Medical Center in Moreno Valley, at any of the county's 10 health clinics, as well as most pharmacies and doctors' offices.

Flu season spans early fall to early spring.

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