Six children in Massachusetts have died with influenza so far this season, a brutal winter toll that has families and pediatricians on edge. The virus has also been tied to hundreds of adult deaths and weeks of unrelenting pressure on hospitals across the Commonwealth.
The pediatric death count was disclosed this week by the State House News Service and reported in the Eagle-Tribune, which notes that the state's respiratory-virus dashboard lists 228 adult flu deaths in data through last Saturday (Jan. 31). According to the Eagle-Tribune, that dashboard provides the most current state counts.
State data and hospital pressure
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reports that influenza activity is "very high" statewide and that hospitals are shouldering heavy respiratory caseloads. Nearly 9,000 emergency-department visits were logged last week, and roughly one-quarter were tied to acute respiratory illness. Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein cautioned in a DPH release that "These viruses are serious, dangerous, and life‑threatening," and the department notes that some medical-surgical units in the state are operating above 90% capacity. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health publishes a respiratory-virus dashboard with weekly updates.
Why children are being hit hard
National surveillance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that children are experiencing particularly high severity this season. A(H3N2) viruses, especially the subclade K, are driving more pediatric hospitalizations. The CDC's weekly FluView reports dozens of pediatric deaths nationally this season and notes that among vaccine-eligible children with known vaccination status, about 90% of reported pediatric deaths occurred in kids who were not fully vaccinated. CDC's FluView also points out that pediatric hospitalization rates are now at levels not seen since the 2010–11 season.
What parents should do now
State health officials and pediatricians are urging that everyone 6 months and older receive a seasonal flu shot, and they emphasize that antiviral medications such as oseltamivir can lessen severity if started early. Parents are advised to seek immediate medical care if a child has trouble breathing, becomes markedly lethargic, cannot keep fluids down, or experiences seizures. Those guidance points are reflected on state health pages and the respiratory-virus dashboard. For clinic locations, vaccine details, and treatment guidance, see the Massachusetts Department of Public Health resources.
Earlier this month, Hoodline reported on the state's sixth pediatric flu death, and the DPH dashboard remains the go-to source for fresh case counts and clinic listings. For more background and local reaction, see coverage of the sixth pediatric flu death along with the state dashboard linked above.
