4 Child Flu Deaths Reported In IL, But Cases Dropping

ILLINOIS – The number of flu cases across the country may be in decline from previous levels this season, but cases remain high in many places, including Illinois, where four pediatric deaths have taken place, state health officials have reported.

The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention has reported five pediatric deaths in the Midwest since the start of the influenza season. Three of those deaths have occurred in the greater Chicago area, including a DuPage County adolescent who died from the virus the week ending on Christmas Eve, county officials recently announced.

The fourth death was reported in the last week and took place in Central Illinois, a spokesperson with the Illinois Department of Public Health told Patch on Thursday.

DuPage County officials expressed their condolences for the family of the child who died from the virus, but offered no other specifics about the patient, citing privacy laws.

In total 61, pediatric deaths associated with influenza have occurred across the United States, the CDC reported in its latest findings. Fourteen of those deaths took place in the week ending on Dec. 24, when the DuPage County patient died.

The DC estimates that so far this season, there have been at least 20 million illnesses, 210,000 hospitalizations, and 13,000 deaths from the flu.

Across Illinois in the previous week, health officials reported that the positivity rate on influenza tests came in at 11.4 percent, which is down from the seasonal average of 16.1 percent. Ten patients were admitted to intensive care units at hospitals across the state with influenza, which brings the season total to 657 patients for the season.

Nationally, flu-related hospitalizations began falling the week before Christmas, according to the CDC, as did doctor’s visits associated with the virus for patients experiencing flu-like symptoms.

Chicago health officials are also seeing that trend in the city, where hospitalizations among pediatric patients up to the age of 4 are down. However, the city is still seeing a high rate of emergency room visits for children dealing with the virus, according to the agency.

The largest number of hospitalizations among pediatric patients are taking place in patients between the ages of 5 and 17, Chicago health officer Dr. Allison Arwady said.

“There's a lot of flu going around right now,” Arwady said.

This year’s flu season began earlier than normal, according to health officials, who normally see cases jump beginning in December. However, health officials with the CDC said they began seeing high rates of cases in November, which officials said, became more complicated due to the tripledemic of flu, COVID-19 and RSV.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health:

Vaccination is the best way to protect against influenza infection. All Illinois residents aged 6 months and older should be vaccinated annually.

• Flu vaccination can keep you from getting sick with the flu.
• Flu vaccination can reduce the risk of flu-associated hospitalization, including among children and older adults.
• Flu vaccination is an important preventive tool for people with chronic health conditions.
• Vaccination helps protect women during and after pregnancy. Getting vaccinated also protects the developing baby during pregnancy and for several months after the baby is born.
• Flu vaccination also may make your illness milder if you do get sick.
• Getting vaccinated yourself also protects people around you, including those who are more vulnerable to serious flu illness, like babies and young children, older people, and people with certain chronic health conditions.