5 pediatric flu deaths in NY this season
Triple threat of COVID, flu, RSV
No parent wants their family to experience the holiday trifecta of COVID, the flu, and RSV. The viral illnesses are wreaking havoc on young kids, who are filling emergency rooms and hospital beds. For the last five weeks, RSV, which can be deadly in small children, especially infants, was the main concern. Then the flu season ramped up. And now COVID cases are rising in some areas.
NEW YORK - There have been five pediatric flu deaths so far this season in New York, according to state health officials.
The New York State Department of Health says that during the week ending December 17, 2022, that influenza activity remained widespread in the state.
That was the eleventh consecutive week of widespread activity this season.
41% of specimens that laboratories for influenza tested positive. That is a 4% decrease from the prior week.
The percent of patient visits for influenza-like illness remained high while the number of patients hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza was 2,709, a 3% decrease over the previous week.
There was 1 influenza-associated pediatric death reported in the past week. There have been 5 influenza-associated pediatric deaths reported this season.
There were only 2 pediatric deaths for the entire flu season last year and none the prior year.
There were 14 deaths reported in the 2019-2020 flu season.