A local man, aged 79, died from influenza A on Friday, according to a statement by the Health Bureau (SSM).
This is the second flu death reported by the bureau this year.
Friday’s SSM statement said that the chronically ill victim developed symptoms including fever, cough and runny nose on Wednesday, adding that he was admitted to the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre’s emergency department the following day due to the persistence of the symptoms and the onset of fatigue, shortness of breath, and dyspnoea.
A CT scan at the public hospital showed, according to the statement, that the septuagenarian, who had received a seasonal influenza vaccination in October last year, was suffering from double pneumonia. He was diagnosed with influenza A complicated by severe pneumonia and respiratory failure.
The statement noted that his family members did not show similar symptoms.
Meanwhile, the Health Bureau received on the same day four reports of cluster infections of influenza-like illnesses, involving nine male and 15 female students in four non-tertiary education schools.
The statement said that the students had been suffering from upper respiratory symptoms such as fever and cough since February 24, adding that among them, three were hospitalised but in stable condition.
These Portuguese-language posters provided by the Health Bureau (SSM) early this year showing nine steps to prevent from getting the flu.
