(KSTU) — This season two children in Utah have died from the flu, according to the State Health Department. That's in comparison to no deaths at all last flu season.
“It's always disheartening nobody wants to see it or hear about it,” said Rebecca Ward, Utah Department of Health and Bureau of Epidemiology.
So far this season the flu has claimed two young lives in Utah.
“Any death is too many deaths,” Ward said.
Nationwide the CDC is reporting a total of 11 influenza-associated pediatric deaths. And we haven't even seen the worst of it.
“We have not seen the peak probably not nationwide and definitely not in Utah,” Ward said.
A map from intermountain health care's germ watch shows most of Utah is seeing high influenza activity. Putting parents on high alert.
The Utah Department of Health hopes they don't have to investigate any more pediatric deaths this flu season.
“When you lose someone from a vaccine-preventable disease it's disheartening it's really sad and our hearts do go out to those families,” Ward said.
The flu season goes all the way until May. The Health Department says part of this year’s strand is h1n1. That's what we saw in 2009. That is one of the strands in the vaccine.
You can find updated flu statistics on the Center for Disease Control's website, and tips on how to protect yourself and your family on the Intermountain Healthcare website.
