NEEDHAM (WBZ-AM) -- A woman was laid to rest Thursday after dying from complications resulting from the flu.
Jenny Ching, 51 of Needham, a mother of two young sons, died of pneumonia which developed after she got the disease.
Flu cases have increased across the country recently, and officials have said they expect flu cases in Massachusetts and Boston to increase.
Dr. Brian Chow, an infectious disease physician at Tufts Medical Center, spoke to WBZ-TV.
"We do know that hospitalization rates related to influenza are rising across Massachusetts," he said. "We are still seeing rates of influenza rising, so it is expected to get worse, at least over the next several weeks."
He says this particular strain of the flu can be very dangerous for children, the elderly, and anyone with a compromised immune system--and recommends getting the flu shot.
"Even though it may not prevent all cases of flu, it can prevent you from getting severe flu, it can prevent you from being in the hospital, and it can definitely prevent certain people from dying of influenza," he said.
A GoFundMe page has been started to help Ching's family.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens reports