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Death Blamed On Allegheny County Flu Outbreak

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – A major flu outbreak has made for a miserable holiday season for hundreds of local people, and is being blamed for at least one death.

Local doctors are reporting what they describe as a significant number of flu cases locally.

"I think at the end of last week we had about 1300 confirmed cases of the flu in Allegheny County," says Dr. Karen Hacker with the Allegheny County Health Department.

Dr. Hacker also says the county reported the first death from the flu. Hacker says a man in his mid-fifties died in the last few weeks.

However, she says the victim had a number of other health problems.

Some doctors say the flu problem could soon be a crisis.

"The CDC came out with saying this was a bad flu season, they're actually considering it an epidemic," says Dr. Hacker.

To make matters worse, pharmacists in the area say there is a shortage of Tamiflu.

Pharmacists telling KDKA some patients are calling all over town to find Tamiflu.

Meantime, doctors say it's still not too late to get a flu shot.

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