42-year-old Lowcountry woman dies of flu, report says. She’s one of at least 46 in SC

The flu claimed the life of another Lowcountry resident on Tuesday, according to a report from Live 5 News.

Paula Breck Bordeaux, a 42-year-old mother of five from St. Stephen, died after being diagnosed with double pneumonia and the flu, her husband Hank Bordeaux told the television station.

The latest flu data from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, released on Wednesday, says there were 17 deaths related to the flu between Jan. 14 and Jan. 20.

There have been at least 46 deaths in the state so far during flu season, and 10 of those have been in the Lowcountry.

During last year’s flu season, 94 people died, according to DHEC data. Officials at that time recorded a total of 13 weeks of “widespread” flu activity with peaks in mid-February and late March.

Now, South Carolina is in its sixth week of widespread flu activity.

Most of the current flu season’s deaths have been older adults — 33 of the people who have died in South Carolina were age 65 or older, and another nine flu victims were ages 50-64.

An older adult died from the flu at Hilton Head Hospital within the last week, a hospital spokeswoman confirmed.

The hospital, which is seeing double the number of patients with flu as it did last year at this time, is recommending that any children under 12 years old not visit.

Beaufort Memorial Hospital, which has also been swamped with flu patients, enacted visitation restrictions for individuals younger than 18 earlier this month.

The state’s Department of Health and Environmental Control has classified the flu as “widespread” across the state.

There have been no reports of children dying from the flu in South Carolina this flu season, according to DHEC.

Three children who died in Florida are among 30 children nationwide who have died after a flu diagnosis, the Miami Herald reported.

Flu season typically peaks sometime between December and February, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That means it’s not too late to get a flu shot.

Those who get a flu shot are less likely to spread the virus and usually get a less severe reaction to the flu if they come down with it, said Rob Clodfelter, medical director of the emergency room at Hilton Head Hospital.

This story was originally published January 25, 2018 at 11:44 AM with the headline "42-year-old Lowcountry woman dies of flu, report says. She’s one of at least 46 in SC."