Mar 6, 2008 4:07 pm US/Eastern
Flu Kills 6 Year Old In Massachusetts
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
State health officials have confirmed the first flu-related death of a child this year in Massachusetts.
The Department of Public Health says the 6-year-old, identified only as a resident of Suffolk County, died last weekend.
Officials say the child suffered from a number of health problems that likely added to complications from the flu.
Dr. Susan Lett, Medical Director of the Department of Public Health's Immunization Program, says pediatric deaths from influenza are rare in Massachusetts.
According to the DPH, flu activity peaked in the state during the week of February 17th, but will remain active through April.
State health officials say the best way to avoid spreading the illness is to get vaccinated, stay home when sick, and frequently wash your hands.
Last week, a federal advisory panel recommended that all children get flu shots.
The panel voted to expand annual flu shots to virtually all children except infants younger than 6 months and those with serious egg allergies.
That means about 30 million more children could be getting vaccinated. If heeded, it would be one of the largest expansions in flu vaccination coverage in U.S. history.
Flu shots were already recommended for people considered to be at highest risk of death or serious illness from the flu, including children ages 6 months to 5 years, adults 50 and older, and people with weakened immune systems
The panel said that should be expanded to include children up to age 18.
Children ages 5 to 18 get flu at higher rates than other age groups, but they don't tend to get as sick. Of the 36,000 estimated annual deaths attributed to the flu, only 25 to 50 occur in children in that age bracket, CDC officials said.
Several states, including Massachusetts, are seeing widespread outbreaks of the virus despite an abundance of flu shots this year.
According to the CDC, the influenza virus can survive on surfaces for up to eight hours. To kill the virus in your home, you need to thoroughly clean surfaces with chemicals that effectively kill it. The CDC says these include chemical germicides like chlorine (bleach), hydrogen peroxide and alcohol wipes or gels.
Click
here or call the MDPH information line at 866-627-7968 to find a nearby flu clinic.
You can track how widespread the flu with the
CDC's Flu Tracker.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
CDC Seasonal Flu Site
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