×

West Virginia reports first flu-related pediatric death for the season

CHARLESTON — The first flu-related pediatric death in West Virginia for the 2022-23 season was reported Friday by the state.

The child’s name, hometown, county, age and gender will not be released to protect the family’s privacy, the Bureau of Public Health in the Department of Health and Human Resources said.

“The loss of a child is profound,” said Dr. Ayne Amjad, acting state health officer and commissioner of the Bureau for Public Health.

“While most individuals recover from the flu, it can be a serious and life-threatening illness in both children and adults, especially those with existing health conditions and compromised immunity,” Amjad said.

Five influenza-associated pediatric deaths have been reported nationwide so far during the 2022-23 flu season, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sixteen pediatric deaths from the flu were reported for the 2021-22 season, according to the CDC. West Virginia in April reported a flu-associated pediatric death.

Children under 5, the elderly and those with underlying health conditions such as diabetes and asthma are highly susceptible to the flu. The best way to protect infants under 6 months, who cannot receive the influenza vaccine, is to have everyone who will have contact with the infant to get a flu vaccine and limit an infant’s exposure to large groups of individuals, the state said.

The state is encouraging all residents 6 months and older to get vaccinated against the flu, Shannon McBee, state epidemiologist, said.

“Now is the ideal time to get your flu shot, as West Virginia is experiencing a historically early start to the flu season,” McBee said. “The flu vaccine is the first line of defense to protect yourself, and people around you who are vulnerable to the serious effects of the flu.”

For the past two consecutive years, flu vaccine rates in West Virginia have been lower than they were before the pandemic, McBee said.

“Despite seeing more flu cases in our state and the nation, we are concerned about the lack of an uptick in vaccine rates,” she said. “Additionally, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) and COVID cases continue to circulate which could further overwhelm our hospital system.”

Adult flu deaths are not a reportable condition in West Virginia. Influenza-associated deaths of children under 18 are required to be reported to the local health department within one a week, which in turn is reportable to Health and Human Resources.

People who think they might have the flu should immediately contact their doctor to see if they need treatment with a prescription antiviral drug which can help prevent flu infections from becoming more serious, the state said. Treatment with an antiviral drug is especially important for hospitalized patients, people with severe flu illness, and people who are at high risk of serious flu complications based on their age or health, the state said.

Other precautions people can take to protect against the spread of flu and other viruses include: staying home when sick until fever-free for at least 24 hours; covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue and then promptly discarding the tissue; and frequently washing hands preferably with soap and water.

For more information, visit https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/keyfacts.htm or https://oeps.wv.gov/flu/pages/default.aspx. To locate a flu vaccine, please visit https://www.vaccines.gov/find-vaccines/.

Starting at $2.99/week.

Subscribe Today