WARSAW — The alarming news that a Kosciusko County boy who died last December had suffered from influenza is underscored by cautionary comments from the county’s health officer.

Dr. William Remington, Kosciusko County health officer, reported this week that county residents can’t be too prepared when it comes to bolstering their immune systems during the flu season.

“It’s never too late to get a flu shot because we’re right in the thick of it,” said Remington. “If anyone finds themselves frighteningly ill with acute respiratory (distress) syndrome, they need to seek immediate medical help.”

Kosciusko County Coroner Tony Ciriello announced Tuesday, Feb. 6, that the death of a 5-year-old boy last December was attributed to the flu, and Remington said the boy’s death was the second county flu death for the season. The Centers For Disease Control announced 136 flu-related deaths so far in 2018 in Indiana. “We (Kosciusko County) had a couple of deaths,” said Remington, noting that the severity of the illness this season has caused increased awareness. “There is more interest in getting vaccinated late in the season than I’ve seen in recent years.”

Remington said it has been nearly a decade since he’s seen flu at its current severity and added that the disease is not confined to just the very young or the elderly.

“There have been surprising deaths in young and old,” he said. “This year is as bad as it’s been since the H1N1 pandemic of 2009. It’s aggressive for everybody.”

Remington said that information on flu vaccines is available through local hospitals or residents’ medical health providers.

As a result of the rise in flu activity, local hospitals are responding with temporary countermeasures designed to minimize the risk to visitors and patients.

According to officials from both Parkview Warsaw Hospital and Kosciusko Community Hospital, the following restrictions have been sent down from the Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health.

Only essential adult visitors at least 18 years old, designated family members, spouses or domestic partners and spiritual counselors. Patients are only allowed two adults per visit. The hospitals are not allowing visitors who display flu-like symptoms and are urging those who display those symptoms to be vaccinated.