WATERBURY - This year’s flu season continues to become more and more severe and it has landed thousands of people in hospitals all across the state and has even killed some.
A local family is warning others after they recently lost a loved one from the flu.
It was just last week when Cecilia Forget, 62, of Waterbury came down with the usual symptoms of a cold.
Her family said she wanted to tough it out using over-the-counter medications until one early morning they had to call 911.
“I ran into her room and I saw her on the floor and she couldn’t breathe,” said Jennifer Forget, daughter of Cecilia Forget.
Cecilia suffered from cardiac arrest and respiratory failure. Doctor’s at St. Mary’s Hospital said it was all caused by the flu.
“I didn’t think anything of it. I just gave her cough medicine,” added Forget.
As advised, Cecilia got her flu shot and her daughter, Jennifer said her mother was a healthy person. Now the family is trying to wrap their heads around their loss.
Cecilia was well-known in the Waterbury community, was a former teacher and later became a teacher’s assistant at Maloney Elementary School and the Rotella Magnet School.
Her death was a shock to the family and they passed along advice they wish Cecilia had taken which is as simple as going to a doctor.
“Go to a doctor, go to a clinic. Even if you have a cough, you think it’s nothing, just go. Go to a doctor and get checked, it’s worth it,” said Carol Lokites, sister of Cecilia.
“When you go to the store, make sure you’re cleaning the handle. Make sure when you sneeze, you’re covering your mouth, you’re washing your hands. It’s serious,” added Jennifer.
On Thursday night, the Connecticut Department of Public Health revealed there have been over one-thousand people sent to the hospital with the flu.
52 people have died from it which is a jump of 20 deaths in just one week.
Most deaths were among patients over 64-years old.
Dr. Peter Jacoby with St. Mary’s Hospital is strongly urging people to take these small steps:
- Get a flu shot
- Go see a doctor if you are sick
- Rest
- Drink a lot of liquids
“The flu usually comes on very fast. Some people can almost pinpoint it was twelve o’clock yesterday when I felt it. The muscle aches are tremendous, the fevers present usually with cough,” added Dr. Jacoby.
The family has started a GoFundMe page to help with the funeral cost. If you would like to help, click here