NYC flu outbreak claims life of another child

NEW YORK (FOX5NY) - New York City officials say the death of a 5-year-old New York City girl is related to the flu.

The girl was found unresponsive in her Canarsie, Brooklyn, home on Saturday night. She was taken to Brookdale Hospital but it was too late to save her.

The New York City Police Department said that the death was not criminal in nature and the child had previously exhibited flu symptoms.

She was the fourth child in the city to die of the flu in the past two weeks.

Health officials have been urging people who have not been vaccinated for the flu to do it as soon as possible as a severe flu season continues across the country.

"In addition to health care settings, flu vaccines are also available at pharmacies for children as young as two years old," Health Department said in a statement. "People with a compromised immune system, children, pregnant women and those aged 65 and older who develop influenza-like symptoms should seek medical care as early as possible."

Dr. Mehmet Oz, the host of "The Dr. Oz Show," spoke to Good Day about the difference between a cold and the flu.

"The flu has a high fever, comes on really quickly and you'll get muscle aches and pains," he said. "A head cold will come on slowly. You don't get a high fever if you get one at all. You'll get a sore throat, sniffles, things like that."

The flu has killed 60 children nationwide this season, which runs through May, the CDC said.

In the 2016-2017 flu season, six children in New York City died of flu-related illness.