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A 12 – year – old Houston native died of the flu, the first infant death in Houston and the second in the region.
The girl was sick most of the month of February and had been hospitalized before succumbing to the disease at the end of the month, health officials said in Houston. She had pre-existing problems and suffered multiple organ failures, they said.
"It's always tragic for us when a child in the area dies of the flu," said Porfirio Villarreal, spokesman for the Houston Department of Health. "It's important for families to get vaccinated against the flu, especially when they have vulnerable patients."
ANOTHER CASE: Young girl dies of flu in Galveston County
Death, the seventh of this season involving a child in the state, was reported to the Texas Department of Health earlier this week. It was included in the city and state reports on influenza released Friday.
The first pediatric death in the region this year, a 6-year-old girl, was reported in March by health officials from Galveston County. She died on February 5, just three days after the onset of symptoms, while she was being treated at a local hospital for an existing illness.
Other pediatric deaths this season included three deaths in North Texas, one in central Texas and one in the Rio Grande Valley. The first took place in October and the next four in January.
Still, the number of pediatric deaths in Texas has declined from last season, when the flu killed 17 children and 12,598 people in Texas. This season has been the worst of the last ten years, both in Texas and Texas.
But the influenza season does not show any sign of departure in Houston and Texas. The latest report on the state's flu indicates that the level of activity is high and that Houston has continued to remain stable, with 2,300 influenza-related visits in hospital emergency rooms last week. This is slightly down from the beginning of the season but more than usual at the end of the season, which usually extends from November to early March.
"We are still struggling with the flu and it could last a few more weeks," Villarreal said.
Dr. Michael Chang, a physician specializing in infectious diseases in children at Children's Memorial Hermann, said he doubted "we will see a second wave spread." He noted that "although the influenza season may be longer than in recent years," there are fewer hospitalizations and fewer positive tests.
Health officials in Houston said they still did not know if the deceased girl had been vaccinated. The girl from Galveston County did not have one, health officials said.
The Houston girl has been tested positive for influenza B, the Galveston County girl for influenza A.
Health officials pointed out that it was not too late to get vaccinated against the flu. This year is considered a good match, reducing the risk of illness by about 47%. The vaccine last year reduced the risk by 36%.
Anyone 6 months old or older can get a flu shot. If children 9 years old or younger are vaccinated for the first time, they need two doses, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Flu-like symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.
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