Daijiworld Media Network - New York
New York, May 3: The United States has recorded 216 pediatric deaths linked to seasonal influenza so far in the 2023–2024 flu season, marking the highest toll in a non-pandemic year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In the week ending April 26, 12 new pediatric fatalities were reported, pushing the death toll beyond the previous seasonal record of 207 deaths, set just last year.
Despite signs of waning influenza activity nationwide, the CDC classifies this as a high-severity flu season for all age groups—children, adults, and seniors—the first such season since 2017–2018.
To date, CDC estimates indicate that the U.S. has seen at least 47 million flu-related illnesses, 610,000 hospitalisations, and 26,000 deaths during the current season.
Experts attribute the surge in pediatric mortality in part to declining flu vaccination rates among children, a trend fueled by rising misinformation and public skepticism. "Flu shots might not always prevent infection, but they are extremely effective at reducing hospitalisations and deaths," said Dr. Sean O'Leary of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The flu has hit children especially hard this season. Of the 2,000 children hospitalised with detailed medical records, only about 53% had underlying conditions such as asthma or obesity, compared to 95% of hospitalised adults who had at least one pre-existing condition.
The CDC did not disclose how many of the deceased children were vaccinated.
Encouragingly, flu activity has declined since February, and all 50 states are currently reporting low or minimal flu levels.
Meanwhile, health experts continue to express concern over falling childhood vaccination rates overall, noting that skepticism has intensified amid the political fallout from Covid-19 vaccine debates. Some officials have also voiced unease about recent comments made by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has echoed antivaccine rhetoric in public forums.
The CDC continues to recommend annual flu vaccinations for everyone aged 6 months and older as long as flu viruses are circulating.