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A Florida child who has not received a flu shot died after catching the flu, state health officials said.
The unidentified child tested positive for the influenza B virus and died between September 30 and October 6, according to the Office of Epidemiology of the Florida Department of Health.
The child was otherwise healthy before contracting the flu, state officials said.
Local TV station WTSP reports Confidentiality issues prevent officials from telling where the child has died in Florida.
Last month, Surgeon General Jerome Adams urged Americans to be vaccinated against influenza after about 80,000 deaths from influenza in the US last season, his record in four decades.
"Herd immunity is so very important," said Adams at a press conference.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all persons 6 months of age and older receive influenza vaccine or nasal spray.
More: Doctors warn children 6 months and older need a flu shot
More: "Survival is no longer an established fact": a mother with an autoimmune disease asks everyone to be vaccinated against the flu
Associated Press contributed to this report. Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @ brettmolina23.
Read or share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/10/16/flu-season-unvaccinated-florida-child-dies-virus/1656661002/
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