The New Mexico Department of Health has confirmed the state's first flu death this season.
The death reported was a 76 year-old woman from Santa Fe County. Her name wasn't immediately released Thursday.
Health officials say predominant circulating flu strain in New Mexico and the United States is influenza H1N1.
The strain was first identified in 2009 and may cause severe illness even in healthy young adults.
The New Mexico Department of Health is urging everyone 6 months of age and older to get a flu vaccine.
The vaccine is currently available and protects against H1N1 and other strains of flu.
The Department of Health has 29 providers statewide that report influenza-like illnesses from October through May.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.