Public health officials said visits to the emergency room were higher last week than any other time in the last three years at the Kern County Board of Supervisors meeting.

The escalated emergency room visits come as the first flu-related death was reported in Kern County last week, taking the life of a mother of five children.

Matt Constantine with Kern County Public Health said during a presentation that the county is committed to tracking the rise in emergency room visits in Bakersfield.

They said they were concerned that this trend would continue into February.

More than 70 people have died from flu related complications across the country this flu season.