A Baltimore County man is the first cold-related illness death in Maryland for the 2023-2024 winter weather season, the Maryland Department of Health said Wednesday.

The agency did not give details about the person or when, exactly, he died other than to say he was between the ages of 70 and 80.

The Department of Health advised Marylanders to avoid exposure to cold weather, both by limiting time outside and by wearing several layers of lightweight, insulated clothing.

Anyone needing to escape the cold is encouraged to contact their local health department or to call 2-1-1 and provide their county location and ZIP code to get information about warming center locations, hours of operation, and available accommodations.

More resources to help stay safe in cold weather — including cold-related illness surveillance reports, information about how to prevent cold-related illnesses, how to safely heat your home, and how to drive safely in winter weather — are available via the Office of Preparedness and Response Extreme Cold website.