PORT ORANGE - Volusia County health officials were investigating Wednesday whether the death of a 10-year-old girl was the result of the flu.
The Port Orange girl died Tuesday.
"We do know that she had the flu, but whether that was the cause of death, all of that is under investigation," Stefany Strong, a spokeswoman for the Volusia County Health Department, told the Associated Press.
Lindsay Hodges, spokeswoman for the state Department of Health, said that there has been an increase in flu cases in several Florida counties.
Hodges said that doctors in more than half of the state's counties are part of a "sentinel surveillance program" in which flu activity is reported to the department. She said that because more than half of those counties have reported an increase, the state is reporting an overall widespread activity.
"We have been seeing for the last several weeks increases in our counties," Hodges said. "The flu is present in Florida and individuals need to take precautions to protect themselves."
Earlier this month, three nursing home residents died from flu-related complications in Sarasota County.
