LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — The first influenza-associated death of a child during the 2022-2023 flu has been confirmed by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
The reported death is a child from Ingham County who contracted influenza A/H3. On the national level, there has been 111 reported pediatric deaths that are associated with influenza.
“It’s not too late to get the flu vaccine,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive for MDHHS. “Once children reach six months of age it is recommended they receive two doses of the flu vaccine for their first series. In addition, pregnant women should get the flu vaccine during each pregnancy. Flu vaccine can be given at the same time as other vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccine.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that since October in the United States, there have 25 to 51 million cases of the flu, 12 to 25 million flu medical visits, 280,000 to 630,000 flu hospitalizations and 18,000 to 56,000 flu deaths.
The MDHHS recommends that everyone six months of age and older get a seasonal flu vaccine.
For more information about the flu, you can visit michigan.gov/flu.
