Six Texas children, including at least one in Tarrant, have died from the flu
Six children have died from the flu in Texas, including at least one in Tarrant County, since the end of September, state health officials announced Friday afternoon.
This comes as the number of flu cases is spiking in Tarrant County faster than it is across the state, health reports show.
“We’re seeing high levels of flu activity across Texas right now,” John Hellerstedt, commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services said in a statement. “Young children are one of the groups known to be at high risk of hospitalization or death from complications of the flu.
“Getting your flu shot is one of the best ways to protect them and everyone else in the community.”
Symptoms for the flu usually include a fever, cough, sore throat, stuffy nose, body aches, headaches and tiredness.
While anyone can get the flu, those most at risk are young children, pregnant women and those 65 or older, along with anyone with chronic medical conditions such as heart disease or asthma.
The most recent flu report shows that the percentage of flu-like cases reported in Tarrant County is widespread and grew over one week from 3.9% to 5.3%.
That’s a higher rate than the state’s percentage of cases, which is just under 5%, the Tarrant report shows.
State health officials say the children who died range in age from younger than one year old to 16 years old.
Four of the children were not vaccinated for the flu this year, officials noted, adding that they are still gathering information on the other children who died.
Earlier this month, a Tarrant County child died from the flu. This was the first pediatric flu death here since 2015.
Officials didn’t share the date the child died or the child’s age or sex.
“Because of the sensitive nature of the information, we can’t share any other details, other than to say that the child had underlying health conditions,” Tarrant County Public Health Director Vinny Taneja said in early December. “The patient tested positive for Influenza B, which is circulating early and predominantly this season.”
Each year, more than 200,000 people with the flu are hospitalized across the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
