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Several patients, including one child, died of influenza at the end of the first week of the 2018-2019 influenza season, according to information from the Department of Information and Public Health.
Florida announces first flu-related death in children
A child in Florida has become the first child pediatric flu death this season, according to the Florida Department of Health. The child died of influenza B during week 40 of 2018 (from September 30 to October 6). "We can confirm that a new pediatric death associated with influenza has been reported in an unvaccinated child.For confidentiality reasons, we do not publish other details regarding this case," said Brad Dalton , Deputy Press Secretary, Office of Communications, Florida Department of Health. , Told Medscape Medical News.
The Florida flu review for week 40 indicates that the child had no underlying medical condition.
"Eight influenza-associated pediatric deaths have been reported to the Department during the 2017-2018 season.None of them has received its flu shot.But they are rare. these deaths occur each year, primarily in unvaccinated children with underlying health problems, "continued Dalton.
During the 2017-2018 influenza season, 515 outbreaks of influenza or flu-like illness have been reported to the Florida Department of Health, he said.
"Influenza deaths among adults are not reported in Florida." To capture the number of adult deaths, the Department uses death certificate data to count the number of deaths due to pneumonia or death. We have an influenza on the death certificate because we do not have the flu listed on death certificates for people who have died from flu (often because the flu test is never done or because that the person died later of complications associated with an influenza infection), "explained Dalton.
"For these reasons, it has become commonplace to count deaths due to pneumonia and influenza.In the 2017-18 season in Florida, 8922 people have been infected with pneumonia and influenza. in adults aged 18 and over, "he continued.
Kansas reports two deaths
Two Kansas adults died as a direct cause of the flu. Pneumonia and influenza contributed to the death of 132 people, and pneumonia was a direct cause of death in 38 patients, according to a report by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) for the period. ending on October 6. "We do not report the age or place of death due to the flu for confidentiality reasons, but we can say that we have never reported a pediatric death," said Gerald Kratochvil, director of communications at KDHE. Medscape Medical News. He added that they also do not disclose information regarding the existence of comorbidities in patients.
"Kansas regulations do not require health care providers to report cases of influenza to KDHE, except for infant deaths and new infections." Instead, influenza activity is measured using several surveillance systems that measure activity as a percentage rather than individual cases Part of our Influenza-Related Illness Surveillance Network (ILINet) tells us the percentage of visits in the flu syndrome they saw, "said Kratochvil.
"Currently, there is low influenza activity in all parts of Kansas.The following counties have reported flu-like cases.It is important to note that not all counties have facilities for influenza surveillance. "he continued.
Low levels of influenza activity were reported in the following counties: Douglas, Shawnee, Sherman, Ellis, Cloud, Neosho, Crawford, Sedgwick, Brown, Johnson, Wyandotte, Cherokee, Dickinson, and Wichita.
Kentucky: first death related to influenza
Barbara Fox, Information Officer of the Kentucky Department of Public Health, told Barbara Fox that a woman was the first person to die from an ILI Medscape Medical News.
Fox said they were not sure if the patient had been vaccinated against the flu, but she was in her sixties and was suffering from pre-existing conditions.
"We observe sporadic activity throughout the state, indicating that a small number of laboratory-confirmed influenza cases or one laboratory-confirmed influenza outbreak has been reported but that the number of cases of influenza-like illness has not increased, "Fox explained. She provided a link to their influenza activity report and said "that he has a week late for reporting to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)".
"We ask people to get the flu shot, to cover themselves with coughs and to wash their hands, and we ask people to stay home when they are sick so that the disease does not spread." ", added Fox.
A child, a sick adult in Maryland
An adult and a child became ill with the first laboratory-confirmed seasonal influenza cases in Maryland, according to a press release from the Maryland Department of Health. One patient has been identified in the central region of the state and the other in the Eastern Shore region of Maryland. Confirmed influenza strains are type A (H1) and type B (Victoria).
Experts from all over the United States urge residents to get vaccinated against seasonal flu.
"The flu shot is the best way to protect yourself and your family against the flu," said Deputy Secretary General, Public Health Services Fran Phillips, IA, MHA, in the press release. "Getting vaccinated every year is important because influenza strains are changing over time, and this season, influenza vaccines have been updated to better match strains in circulation."
The CDC claims that influenza activity is low throughout the United States
"The first FluView of the 2018-2019 season was released Friday and will be published weekly on Fridays throughout the season," said Ian Branam, MA, health communications specialist at the National Center for Immunization and Disease Respiratory, CDC. Medscape Medical News. "This report shows that influenza activity is low in the US The timing and duration of influenza seasons may vary, but influenza activity often begins to increase in October, so we expect an increase in of activity over the next few weeks. "
"CDC recommends that all people 6 months and older get vaccinated by the end of October." The annual flu shot is the best way to reduce the risk of influenza and its potentially serious complications. has many benefits, including reducing your risk of influenza and serious flu complications that can lead to hospitalization or death, "said Branam.
A comment from the CDC on influenza vaccination recommendations is available on Medscape Medical News.
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