Houston reports first pediatric flu-related death this season
Houston reports first pediatric flu-related death this season
A young boy has suffered Houston’s first flu-associated pediatric death of the 2019-2020 flu season, the health department confirmed today.
HOUSTON - A young boy has suffered Houston’s first flu-associated pediatric death of the 2019-2020 flu season, the health department confirmed today.
The Houston Health Department says the boy, between the ages of 6 and 10, died in November.
The boy had a pre-existing health condition. The health department was unable to verify if the boy had received a flu shot this season.
“While there is little that can bring comfort to parents coping with the death of a child, this tragic situation serves as a reminder to all parents about the importance of flu vaccination,” said Dr. David Persse, local health authority for the Houston Health Department. “Vaccination not only protects the person receiving the vaccination, it’s important to protecting others in the community.”
The health department is reminding people 6-months and older to get vaccinated. They say those 65 and older, pregnant women, young children and those with chronic health conditions are at higher risk for serious complications or death if they get the flu.
Earlier this month, Harris County Public Health reported the flu-related death of a baby boy.
The Houston Health Department says for the week ending for December 21 of this year, almost 4% of ER visits were related to the flu, which is an increase from 3.5% from the previous week. So, what do you need to look out for?
Signs and symptoms of the flu are:
- Fever/Chills
- Cough
- Sore Throat
- Runny nose
- Muscle/Body Aches
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Vomiting/Diarrhea (More common in children)
Even though we are in the middle of flu season, it’s not too late to protect yourself.
The Houston Health Department offers flu shots at their health centers to uninsured or underinsured people. It’s a sliding scale, so you could pay zero to $15 for the vaccine.
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