A Louisiana child has died from the flu for the first time this season, according to officials with the Louisiana Department of Health.
State health officials did not release additional information about the child.
But Baton Rouge school officials said earlier this month that a first-grader at Cedarcrest Elementary School passed away from the flu in a message to board members.
So far this season there have been 14 child flu deaths, compared to 182 the year before, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Louisiana has led the nation in cases, and is one of two states reaching level 13, the highest rank for the number of reported illnesses. About one in five flu tests are coming back positive in the state, more than twice the national rate.
At Children’s Hospital New Orleans, the influenza A strain is circulating at a high rate and is joined by other respiratory viruses such as RSV, COVID and influenza B.
“It's sort of the quadruple whammy,” said Dr. Mark Kline, an infectious disease specialist and physician in chief at Children’s Hospital. “We've got a lot of respiratory viruses out there right now.”
Most children recover from flu uneventfully. But it can sometimes be dangerous, especially for children under the age of 2 and those who have medical problems such as asthma, congenital heart disease, chronic lung disease or other immune issues, said Kline.
Kline said drugs to treat flu earlier in its course are sometimes underutilized but can help moderate symptoms before complications might develop.
Louisiana still has several more months to its flu season, which typically extends through March.
“With as much activity as we’re seeing right now, I would say, if your child hasn’t been vaccinated, get them vaccinated,” said Kline.
The state lags behind the national average for the number of kids who get vaccinated. About 35% of children have gotten the jab in Louisiana this season compared to nearly 42% nationwide.
Among adults, about 34% have received a vaccine in the state compared to 41% average across the country.
