Influenza death toll rises in Stanislaus County. One victim was in his 30s.

A flu season that's considered a danger to the elderly and those with chronic medical conditions claimed the lives of two people in Stanislaus County who were not in vulnerable age groups.

County officials said Friday the contagious illness resulted in the death of a man in his 30s and a woman in her 40s. The county Health Services Agency did not release specifics on whether the two adults had underlying health conditions.

According to the county agency, underlying health conditions likely contributed to four of the six local deaths in the current flu season. One person who died did not have a chronic condition and one fatality is still under investigation, the agency said.

The Health Services Agency only tracks deaths associated with flu in the zero to 64 age group. It's not known how many local deaths have occurred among seniors 65 and older.

County health officials continue to see indications the 2017-18 flu season has peaked, but the contagious illness remains a real threat to local residents, especially the elderly and very young.

“It seems to have decreased,” said Anuj Bhatia, a Health Services Agency spokesman. “We are still in the flu season and we expect to see cases.”

To track flu activity, the county agency monitors indicators such as hospital visits and testing data.

Flu cases increased nationwide in the latest update from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The New York Times reported that the seasonal influenza, which began making people sick in October, is the most virulent since the swine flu pandemic in 2009.

In California, the state Department of Public Health has recorded 97 deaths in the zero to 64 age group, including 20 in the Bay Area, 17 in the central part of the state and 48 in Southern California. The highest fatality rate, 4.2 deaths per every million residents, was recorded in the Central Valley region.

Kaiser Permanente reported a recent decline in cases related to the viral illness, according to the state update Thursday. Just under 10 percent of hospitalizations at Kaiser facilities were due to influenza and pneumonia, down from 12 percent earlier in the month.

Bhatia advised residents to continue taking precautions to avoid the flu, such as covering coughs, staying home from work or school if you are sick and getting vaccinated. The flu season usually stretches into March or April.

This story was originally published January 26, 2018 at 5:04 PM with the headline "Influenza death toll rises in Stanislaus County. One victim was in his 30s.."