CDC reviews 216 little one deaths this flu season, essentially the most in 15 years
NEW YORK — Extra U.S. kids have died this flu season than at any time for the reason that swine flu pandemic 15 years in the past, based on a federal report launched Friday.
The 216 pediatric deaths reported by the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention eclipse the 207 reported final yr. It’s essentially the most for the reason that 2009-2010 H1N1 world flu pandemic.
It’s startling that the quantity already is that this excessive, on condition that the flu season continues to be occurring. The ultimate pediatric demise tally for the 2023-2024 flu season wasn’t counted till autumn.
“This quantity that we’ve now’s nearly definitely an undercount, and one which — when the season is asserted over, and so they compile all the information — it’s nearly sure to go up,” stated Sean O’Leary of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
There are seemingly a number of contributors to this season’s severity, however an enormous one is that fewer kids get flu photographs, added O’Leary, a College of Colorado pediatric infectious illnesses specialist.
The flu vaccination fee for U.S. kids has plummeted from about 64% 5 years in the past to 49% this season.
Flu vaccinations could not stop individuals from coming down with signs, however analysis reveals they’re extremely efficient at stopping hospitalizations and deaths, O’Leary stated, including that the decline in vaccinations “is definitely taking part in a task” on this season’s lack of life.
The season has not solely been laborious on kids. CDC officers have described it as “extremely extreme,” and estimate that thus far there have been at the least 47 million sicknesses, 610,000 hospitalizations, and 26,000 deaths this season.
The excellent news is that flu indicators have been waning since February.
The Related Press Well being and Science Division receives help from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Academic Media Group and the Robert Wooden Johnson Basis. The AP is solely accountable for all content material.
