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Flu Season Strikes Hard: Child Deaths Surge
8 Mar
Summary
- Child flu deaths reached 288 last season, the worst on record.
- A new flu variant, H3N2 subclade K, differs from this year's vaccine.
- Massachusetts saw a sharp increase in flu deaths last season.
The current flu season has seen a significant rise in cases and fatalities, particularly among children. Last season, child flu deaths reached 288, marking the highest number recorded for a regular U.S. flu season. This surge follows a brutal flu season the previous year, with hospitalization rates at their highest in 15 years since the H1N1 pandemic.
A major concern is the prevalence of a new flu strain, H3N2 subclade K. This variant differs from the strain included in this year's flu shots, potentially reducing vaccine efficacy. Public health experts noted that this H3N2 type historically causes severe illness and death, especially in older individuals.
Massachusetts, in particular, experienced a sharp increase in flu-related deaths last season, with a total of 470 influenza deaths recorded, compared to 251 and 235 in the preceding two seasons. Ten child deaths were reported in the state last season. Public health officials are urging residents to get vaccinated, emphasizing that it is not too late to receive a flu and COVID-19 shot.
