This flu season has always passed away since the swine flu pandemic 15 years ago, according to a federal report released Friday.
216 pediatric deaths reported last year, 207 people reported the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It has been the most since the H1N1 global influenza pandemic from 2009 to 2010.
Given that the flu season is still ongoing, it’s surprising that numbers are already so high. The last pediatric death tally of the 2023-2024 flu season was not counted until fall.
“The numbers we have now are almost certainly abundant, and when seasons are declared and all the data is compiled, it’s almost certain,” said Dr. Sean O’Leary of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
There may be several contributors to the severity of this season, but one major one is what added by Allley, a University of Colorado Pediatric Infectious Diseases Specialist.
The flu vaccination rate in the US in the year has plummeted from around 64% five years ago to 49% this season.
While flu vaccinations may not prevent people from suppressing symptoms, O’Leary said the study is extremely effective in preventing hospitalizations and deaths, adding that the decline in vaccinations “certainly plays a role” in the loss of life this season.
The season was not difficult for children alone. CDC officials have described it as “very serious,” and estimates that so far have at least 47 million illnesses, 610,000 hospitalizations and 26,000 deaths.
The good news is that flu indicators have been declining since February.
The Associated Press School of Health Sciences is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institution’s Science and Education Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. AP is solely responsible for all content.
It’s cold again and the flu season. This means you can wonder which virus is causing your symptoms. This is what you need to know.
Source link
