MISSOULA— We are learning more information about a flu death that occurred in Missoula earlier this week.

Missoula Public Health (MPH) tells MTN that the person who died was a man who was over the age of 80, who had underlying health conditions and was vaccinated for the flu.

This marks the first death of the 2025-2026 influenza season in Montana.

This year's influenza is a new strain developed and is more severe, according to what was seen in the Southern Hemisphere earlier this year. The Southern Hemisphere has historically seen a flu season during its winter, giving an insight into what it may look like in the Northern Hemisphere.

This year’s vaccine anticipated a mutation of the flu, with part of the vaccine having the specific type of strain this new mutation contains. Missoula

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