Public health officials in Solano County, Calif. confirmed the first case of a patient with a co-infection of the flu and COVID-19 Oct. 29, reports FOX affiliate KTXL.
"Symptoms of the flu can be like early symptoms of COVID-19, meaning people with flu symptoms may require a COVID-19 test and need to stay home from work and isolate while awaiting their results," Bela Matyas, MD, Solano County's public health officer, said in a media statement.
The patient works in the "healthcare realm," is under the age of 65 and is an otherwise healthy individual who has not had a flu shot, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. County health officials are contact tracing while the person remains in quarantine.
Dr. Matyas warned that contracting either the flu or COVID-19 can weaken the immune system and encouraged everyone 6 months and older to get a flu vaccine.
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