Teen visiting NW Wisconsin dies of flu complications at Twin Cities hospital

ST. PAUL — Minnesota health officials say a teenager from Texas has died of complications of the flu.

Relatives said 17-year-old Max Schwolert and his family were spending the holidays with his grandparents in Amery, Wis., when he got sick on Christmas Eve. The teen died Saturday at a St. Paul hospital.

His uncle, Phil Schwolert, said his nephew apparently developed a staph infection along with the flu. The Star Tribune reported that the teen was a senior at Marcus High School in suburban Dallas.

The state Department of Health confirmed the teen died of flu complications, the third flu death this season in Minnesota. Health officials predict it could be one of the worst flu seasons in years in Minnesota. More than 120 Minnesotans were hospitalized with the flu in the week ending Dec. 22, nearly twice the number of cases in the previous week.

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