Fourth child in Massachusetts dies from the flu
Posted March 18th, 2008 by minortopics | via www.boston.comWow, the flu seems to be hitting hard this year, claiming twice the number of children in Massachusetts than usual, and the season isn’t even over yet. Is it too late to get a flu shot? Is there a doctor in the house? Scary stuff.
A 12-year-old Worcester County girl died Sunday from influenza, the fourth Massachusetts child to succumb this year to the respiratory illness, state public health authorities announced this afternoon.
Officials also disclosed that a 15-year-old boy from Newton died Friday of pneumonia triggered by the flu. Neither of the children was identified because of patient confidentiality laws.
Most years, no more than two children die from the flu in Massachusetts. This flu season, though, has proved especially severe, with significantly more cases of the viral disease reported among adults and children than the previous two winters. Disease specialists estimate that during a typical winter, 36,000 people — mainly the elderly and patients with chronic illnesses — die nationally from the flu.