BOSTON -- State health officials confirm that a college student has died of flu-related complications. Jeffrey Donohue, 18, of Winthrop, Mass., passed away Sunday at Massachusetts General Hospital.

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NewsCenter 5's Gail Huff reported that Donahue went home over the Thanksgiving break and saw a doctor because he wasn't feeling well, but nothing was diagnosed. He then went back to school after the break, but last weekend he was admitted to MGH and died Sunday, shortly after being diagnosed with A-type influenza. The 6-foot-3, 220 pound student was described as healthy and very athletic. Donahue's roommate is also being treated for the flu.

Donahue's death has alarmed some of the students at Worcester State College, where he went to school.

"If there is something going around where it is that serious, then I'd be worried about it," said freshman Noah D'Onofrio.

"I sometimes get like a sinus infection or something like that, but I never think something like the flu could actually kill, so, it's kinda creepin' me out a little bit," said freshman Mark Peterson.

State health officials are trying to determine if Donohue had the Fujian strain of the flu, which has killed nine children in Colorado, and others in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico.

"We do see, every year, deaths in younger people, and this year because there is more influenza we may see more of that. It is possible that the strain that is circulating might be worse than strains that we've seen in the past," said Dr. Alfred DeMaria, the state's director of communicable disease control.

The state health department recommends vaccination for certain people at high risk of complications from the flu. These include:

persons 50 years or older;

residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities that house person of any age who have long-term illnesses;

adults and children 6 months of age and older who have chronic heart or lung conditions, including asthma;

adults and children 6 months of age and older who need regular medical care or had to be in a hospital because of metabolic diseases (like diabetes), chronic kidney disease, or weakened immune system (including immune system problems caused by medicine or by infection with HIV/AIDS;

children and teenagers 6 months to 18 years who are on long-term aspirin therapy and therefore could develop Reye Syndrome after the flu; and

women who will be more than 3 months pregnant during the flu season.

Flu symptoms include shortness of breath, an inability to keep down liquids, dehydration and mood swings.

DeMaria said influenza is becoming widespread in Massachusetts and needs to be taken seriously. Health officials have sent out an advisory letter to doctors across the state, asking them to report any unusual symptoms or cases of flu.