Snohomish County, Washington — With two flu-related deaths in Western Washington as early as the first week of October, county health officials and medical experts are warning of a much earlier than normal flu season and encouraging people to get vaccinated sooner.
On Friday, the Snohomish County Health Department (SCHD) reported that an Edmonds man in his 60s with underlying medical conditions was hospitalized with Influenza A, the most common and severe type of flu, and later died on October 3.
SCHD said that technically this man’s flu contraction occurred at the very end of last year’s 2025-2026 flu season, but “for practical purposes” it is considered the first local death of an early flu season.
The county says typically no deaths are reported until November, at least compared to the last three flu seasons.
In Thurston County, the health department reported that they also suffered a flu-related death, although they did not provide any details about the victim; however, the county said no flu deaths were reported in October, November or December 2025.
Dr. George Diaz, chief medical officer at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, told KOMO News the start of the flu season has been very active, in addition to COVID-19 cases.
“One thing about the late flu seasons that we’ve had in recent years is that people tend to delay their vaccines, and this year we’re definitely seeing an increase now,” Diaz said.
Diaz noted that hospitals are nearing a threshold for COVID cases, where they will be required to wear masks while working.
“We are part of Northwest Healthcare (and) that consortium recommends mask wearing when we reach levels of about 14.5%, and last week,” Diaz said, “in our county it was about 12%.”
The SCHD reported there have been 63 flu hospitalizations since Aug. 30, including 31 cases occurring last week, as well as the death of the Edmonds man — numbers the county says it typically only sees in December.
“This is a serious illness that can lead to death,” Diaz said. “So folks, the only thing we can do is preventive vaccination, cover your cough if you’re sick – wear a mask, wash your hands (and) stay home if you’re sick,” he added.
The SCHD said it reported 24 flu-related deaths, with just over 600 hospitalizations for the 2025-2026 flu season, which is a significant drop from the 2024-25 season, when there were a record 54 deaths and more than 860 hospitalizations.
Diaz says getting vaccinated earlier than expected will help you stay ahead of the game this year, and before you plan to see friends and family as other indoor events begin.
“It takes a few days to a week for the vaccine to provide protection before infection; right now we’re seeing a lot of COVID circulating, and the flu is just starting to take off, so the sooner the better,” Diaz explained.
He says residents can consult their primary care providers to research the vaccines they want, or walk to their local pharmacy, where many provide vaccines with proof of insurance.
You can also see a complete list of clinics in Snohomish County that offer vaccinations through insurance, walk-ins, or have some type of cost here.
Gn Health
