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Connecticut reports season's first child influenza death

A flu vaccine is readied at the L.A. Care and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plans' Community Resource Center  Oct. 28, 2022.
Mark J. Terrill
/
AP
A flu vaccine is readied at the L.A. Care and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plans' Community Resource Center, Oct. 28, 2022.

For the first time this flu season, a child has died from influenza in Connecticut. The state Department of Public Health announced Thursday that the child was under the age of 10, although the child's exact age was not released. The child lived in New Haven County and died sometime in December.

State Public Health officials urge people to get flu shots, wash their hands and stay home when they're sick. Connecticut faces high levels of three respiratory viruses this winter: influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which primarily impacts children and older adults.

Nearly 22,000 cases of flu have been reported in Connecticut so far this season. There have been around 530 hospitalizations and 18 deaths.

“The flu continues to circulate and is particularly dangerous to the very youngest and the oldest people in your life,” DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani said in a statement. “The holidays are just around the corner, so I strongly recommend that persons 6 months of age and older get a flu shot to help protect themselves and their family members.”

Flu season takes place between October and May. The DPH says highest levels of influenza are traditionally seen between December and March. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, chills, congestion and fatigue.

Matt Dwyer is an editor, reporter and midday host for Connecticut Public's news department. He produces local news during All Things Considered.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

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