Four children in New York City have died from the flu this season, city health officials said, renewing their calls for New Yorkers to get vaccinated and take precautions.
These are the first pediatric deaths the city's health department has reported during this flu season, which arrived early in New York and resulted in record hospitalizations before cases began to wane in recent weeks.
“No one should lose a child to a disease for which the most serious of outcomes can often be prevented by vaccination,” said Dr. Michelle Morse, the city’s acting health commissioner.
News of the deaths comes as official data shows local flu cases are declining. More than 1,400 cases were reported in the city in the last week of January, down from more than 32,000 in a one week at the height of this flu season in December, per city data. Emergency department visits are also on the decline, representing less than 1% of cases.
Nine children had died from the flu statewide as of the end of January, according to state data. During last year’s flu season, the virus killed a total of 27 children across the state.
Last year’s flu season resulted in a record 289 pediatric deaths nationwide, about 89% of whom were unvaccinated against the virus, according to the health department.
The department said RSV remains a concern, especially for New Yorkers under 5 years old, while cases of COVID-19 are decreasing.
New Yorkers can find information about where to get a flu shot here.
