For most mums and dads, the flu isn't really something that they're worried about. And a flu death is definitely the last thing on any parent's mind.
A lot of parents aren't even aware that the flu can sometimes be deadly, since doctors usually just prescribe flu medicine and recommend that the person who's down with the flu get some bed rest.
That's why the flu death of a 20-year-old mum of two from Arizona is very shocking — she died only a day after being diagnosed with the flu.
Flu death: How does it happen?
Alani Murrieta, mother to a 2-year-old and a 6-month-old started complaining that she had flu symptoms on Sunday, December 3. Come Monday, her condition still hasn't improved, so her sister took her to the hospital where she was diagnosed with the flu, given medicine, and sent her home.
By Tuesday, her condition started to get even worse, so her mother rushed her to the hospital where it was discovered that she already had pneumonia and her condition was quickly deteriorating.
On Tuesday afternoon, she was placed in the ICU and placed on a ventilator. Sadly, she passed away not long after due to complications caused by her pneumonia.
Her death came as a shock to her entire family. Her aunt, Stephanie Gonzales, shares, "She was very healthy and never got sick, she worked six days a week and her job was at a warehouse so she was very active at her job."
"I still don’t understand how this happened to her so fast — she went from feeling a little sick on Sunday to going to urgent care on Monday and then being gone by Tuesday afternoon," she adds.
Alani leaves behind her 2 sons, a 2-year-old and a 6-month-old.
Mums and dads, don't take the flu lightly
A lot of mums and dads might think that the flu isn't something to worry about, but the reality is that flu death is very real, and people die from flu-related deaths each year.
Here are some useful tips for mums and dads to protect their family:
- Get your family vaccinated. By far, the best way of preventing flu is by getting the yearly vaccine. Getting vaccinated each year is important, especially for your kids, since the flu virus can mutate and a different strain infects people each year.
- If you or your kids get sick, make sure to stay at home. If you or your kids come down with the flu, it's best to stay at home so that the flu won't infect other people. It's also a good idea to temporarily quarantine your sick child so that your other kids don't get sick.
- Teach your kids to cover their mouth and nose when they sneeze or cough. Coughing and sneezing is a means by which the flu virus spreads, so be sure to teach your kids to cover their mouths and nose whenever they sneeze or cough in order to prevent the flu from spreading.
- You and your family should practice frequent hand washing. While hand washing isn't a 100% foolproof way of preventing the flu, it can help reduce the chances of you or your family getting sick.
- Keep you and your family's health in tip top shape. As always, it's important to make sure your family is always healthy. Make sure that you get constant exercise, and that you have a healthy diet that's full of vitamins and nutrients, especially vitamin C.
Source: buzzfeed.com
READ: Is it safe to get a flu shot during your pregnancy?