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Pinal County reported the first childhood flu death of the 2022 season in Arizona this week.

“Unfortunately, this tragic situation is a reminder that influenza can cause serious illness and death,” said Dr. Tasha Spears, health director for the Pinal County Public Health Services District. I’m here.

“My deepest condolences to this child’s family.”

This year’s flu season has started early, county officials said in a release, adding that hospitals are “heavily impacted by the volume of cases” coming to emergency departments.

Since the flu season began, Pinal County has reported 172 laboratory-confirmed cases of flu, and Arizona has reported a total of 4,552 cases, officials said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone 6 months and older get the flu vaccine.

The vaccine offers protection from hospitalization and death even if an individual does get the flu, and health officials added that it takes two weeks for the immune system to build defenses against the flu.