County records final flu death of 2025-26 season; respiratory activity stays low

Thurston County Public Health and Social Services (PHSS) has reported one more influenza-related death and counted it in the 2025-26 flu season, which ended Oct. 3, 2026.

PHSS first announced the death on Wednesday, Oct. 7, as the first of the 2026-27 season. In a corrected release on Thursday, Oct. 8, the department said symptoms began in September 2026, "placing it within the 2025-2026 influenza-year window," the Thurston Chronicle reported. No details about the person were released.

Flu season dates are set each year by the Centers for Disease Control and don't follow the calendar year. The new season started Oct. 4, 2026, and runs through Oct. 2, 2027. As of the Oct. 9 report, county officials had recorded no flu deaths this season.

Current activity is low. As of Oct. 7, the county's respiratory virus activity level was "below transmission alert." That level is based on the share of emergency department visits diagnosed with acute respiratory illnesses such as flu, COVID-19 and RSV. According to the state Department of Health, 1.1 percent of outpatient visits this week were for flu-like symptoms (fever with cough or sore throat), compared with a baseline of 2.1 percent.

With activity still low, now is a good time to get fall vaccines before the season picks up. Respiratory trend data for the county is posted at thurstoncountywa.gov.