A federal report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revealed that this flu season has seen a record 216 child deaths in the US, surpassing the 207 reported last year. This number is considered an undercount, as the final pediatric death tally hasn’t been counted yet.
Experts attribute the severity of this season to several factors, including a significant drop in children receiving flu shots. The vaccination rate for U.S. children has plummeted from about 64% five years ago to 49% this season. Dr. Sean O’Leary, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist, notes that flu vaccinations are highly effective at preventing hospitalizations and deaths.
According to the CDC, the 2023-2024 flu season has seen an estimated 47 million illnesses, 610,000 hospitalizations, and 26,000 deaths so far. While the number of child deaths is alarming, flu indicators have been waning since February, with all 50 states reporting low or minimal flu activity last week.
The CDC continues to recommend that everyone aged 6 months and older receives an annual flu vaccine. Dr. O’Leary hopes this season will serve as a wake-up call for parents to vaccinate their children against influenza.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/flu-deaths-children-cdc-e79b1e4169d629ad4bc1095d95d82110