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Colorado Flu Death Happened In Southern Colorado

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4) - Officials in El Paso County say the young Colorado patient who died from the flu died in their county.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment revealed on Wednesday that there was a pediatric death from the flu -- the first of this season -- but didn't reveal where it happened.

They said the patient, a child who was younger than 18, was old enough to be vaccinated (older than 6 months) but was not. That patient's name hasn't been revealed.

A total of 289 more people were hospitalized because of the flu last month in Colorado, according to the department.

That brings the total number of hospitalizations this flu season in Colorado to more than 2,000.

The CDPHE only tracks deaths from the flu in pediatric cases. Two pediatric deaths were reported in last year's flu season. Flu deaths have averaged 2.6 per season over the past decade.

Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control says widespread flu activity is reported in every state except Hawaii. The virus is now being called an epidemic.

LINK: Colorado Flu Report

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