(WWJ) A child in Michigan has died after contracting the flu, state health officials say.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) confirmed the first influenza-associated pediatric death in Michigan for the 2023-2024 flu season.
MDHHS said the child tested positive for Influenza A(H1N1), announcing the death late in the day on Friday.
Responding to an email from WWJ Newsradio 950, a spokesperson for the health department said they are not planning to release any further details about the child, including about where the child lived. The spokesperson did share that the child was a resident of one of the more "sparsely populated" counties in the state.
Nationally, there have been at least 93 influenza-associated pediatric deaths reported this flu season, MDHHS said.
"These are tragedies that no family should ever have to endure," said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. "Each year influenza claims the lives of dozens of children across the United States. This is why MDHHS continues to strongly recommend that everyone six months of age and older get a seasonal flu vaccine. It's the best way to protect yourself and your family from getting sick and reduces illness severity if someone does get the flu."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that since October there have been at least 28-51 million flu illnesses, 13-24 million flu medical visits, 310,000-640,000 flu hospitalizations and 20,000-57,000 deaths nationally.
Dr. Raj Pareek, a pediatric ICU physician with Corewell Health told WWJ's Ryan Wrecker on Sunday afternoon flu-related deaths are "preventable."
"It's particularly devastating when a child dies of an illness that is potentially preventable, in the sense that as parents and doctors, we can to so much to stop or at least mitigate the effects of influenza," Pareek said. "I always tell families, the easiest thing that can be done is your flu shot. It's easy, it's simple."
Michigan is currently seeing an increase in influenza cases. [Additional information is available in the Michigan Flu Focus report.]
It's not too late to get the flu vaccination this season, officials said.
Once children reach six months of age, it is recommended they receive two doses of the flu vaccine for their first series. Pregnant people should also get vaccinated, which helps protect themselves and their baby. Vaccine recommendations for those at a higher risk of developing serious flu complications are available on the CDC website.
Currently, for the 2023-2024 flu season, only 25.1% of Michigan residents have been vaccinated against flu. According to data from the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (click "Seasonal Coverage"), flu vaccine coverage among children ages six months through 17 years is slightly lower for the 2023-2024 flu season (19.2%) compared to the same time in the 2022-2023 flu season (20.9%).
For those who do get influenza, early treatment with an antiviral drug can help prevent flu infections from becoming more severe, MDHHS said. Check with your doctor promptly if you are at higher risk of serious flu complications.
To find flu vaccine near you, call your health care provider, local health department or visit Vaccines.gov. For more information about the flu, visit Michigan.gov/flu.
