The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) released a new report confirming the first pediatric deaths related to the latest influenza season in the United States.
The reported deaths involve children from Wayne and Genesee counties who were said to have contracted season Influenza A (H1N1). For context, at least 57 influenza-associated pediatric deaths have been reported during the flu season across the United States.
Confirmed Flu-Related Pediatric Deaths
MDHSS chief medical executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian said they were all saddened by the losses of the families related to the victims. She added that last season, the flu killed nearly 200 children nationwide.
Bagdasarian noted that influenza rates are currently very high and encouraged those who did not receive a flu vaccine last fall to get one as soon as possible. The medical expert said that the vaccine would prevent the severe complications of influenza, such as hospitalization and death, according to WWMT.
The MDHHS chief medical executive also said that people who do get sick with the flu this season should also get tested for COVID-19 and influenza. This is because they have antiviral medications that are effective against these viruses.
The medical director of the Genesee County Health Department, Dr. Michela Corsi, said that the reported losses are a reminder of how severe flu can be, particularly for vulnerable groups such as children and older adults.
One of the victims of the latest flu season is a teenager from San Diego who was confirmed dead on Thursday. The victim was identified as a Black 16-year-old from coastal North County who contracted type-A flu, Fox5 San Diego reported.
Three other teenagers within the county lost their live after contracting the flu. All of them had not received a vaccine during the most recent flu season, as confirmed by the county health department.
Rising Number of Flu-Related Deaths
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the number of deaths related to the flu has surpassed the number of deaths from COVID-19 for the first time last month.
A spokesperson said that the week ending Jan. 25, 2025, was the first time the percentage of flu deaths was higher than the same number for the coronavirus. For context, according to USA Today, the number of deaths related to the flu was 1.7%, while the number associated with COVID-19 was 1.5%.
