San Diego is grappling with alarming flu numbers, with a fourth teenage death marking a stark rise in severity this season. According to NBC San Diego, the latest fatality is a 16-year-old boy with underlying health issues who did not receive a flu shot. His death follows three other unvaccinated teenagers who succumbed to Influenza A, their ages ranging from 14 to 17.

Dr. Ankita Kadakia, San Diego County's interim public health officer, expressed profound concern over the flu-related fatalities, emphasizing, as per NBC San Diego, "The flu vaccine is the best protection against getting seriously sick and preventing death." These recent cases add to a troubling trend of low vaccination rates locally, with reports indicating that around 80% of 5- to 17-year-olds in the county skipped out on flu shots this season.

The gravity of the situation is underscored by figures released by the County of San Diego, highlighting that 105 individuals have died from the flu, a substantial increase from previous years. In a CBS 8 interview, Dr. Alice Pong from Rady Children's Hospital advised seeking medical attention for persistent fevers or difficulty breathing.

Despite the uptick in cases, Dr. Pong urges it's not too late for the community to act, stating, as cited by CBS 8, "It's not too late to vaccinate, stay home from school if you're sick, wash your hands - everything we told you through COVID works for the flu." However, this season's flu has claimed more teenage lives than the entire pandemic in San Diego, with three COVID-19-related teen deaths now overshadowed by four due to the flu. A chilling statistic that underlines the seriousness of the current season.