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First flu death in Washington state this season

A Pierce County man in his 40s has died from the flu. It's the first flu-related death of the season.

A Pierce County man in his 40s had died from complications of the flu, reports the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.

This is the first flu-related death of the season in Washington state. Last year, 247 people in Washington died from the flu.

The Pierce County resident who perished had several pre-existing conditions before testing positive for influenza B. He was in the ICU for more than a week prior to his death.

Since mid-September, four other people have also contracted the flu in Pierce County, two with influenza A and two with influenza B. The patients range from late teens to late 60s. All of them had at least one other affliction prior to getting the flu.

RELATED: 5 ways to prepare for the upcoming flu season

Typically, influenza A is more severe than influenza B, which is more common later in the season. But in Pierce County, the most severe cases have involved influenza B.

The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department said the five cases from Pierce County so early in the season underscore the importance of getting a flu shot sooner than later.

How to recover from the flu:

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