An elementary-aged child from outside the Denver metro area has died in an influenza-associated case, marking Colorado's first reported pediatric flu death of the 2026-27 respiratory virus season. State health officials said there is no record that the child had received this season's flu vaccine, and they released no further details about the child's identity or circumstances.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment confirmed the death, according to KOAA, which reported that the department did not release additional information about the child. The news comes as flu activity picks up earlier than usual statewide, with hospitals reporting more positive flu tests and more flu-related hospitalizations, per the same outlet's reporting. Denver7 reported that Dr. Rachel Herlihy, the state's epidemiologist and deputy chief medical officer, said last year's record-breaking hospitalization numbers were a sobering reminder of how serious flu can be, especially for young children.
A Season Already Ahead of Schedule
Flu activity in Colorado is increasing earlier this year, according to KRDO, which cited the same state health department tracking the trend. Herlihy urged parents to get their children vaccinated before transmission climbs further, Denver7 reported. Full protection takes about two weeks to develop after a shot, so officials are pushing families to act now rather than wait for flu to peak.
Young children face outsized risk from the virus. Children younger than 5 are at increased danger from flu, with the greatest risk falling on babies younger than 6 months old, who cannot yet be vaccinated at all, according to the Denver Post. The Post also noted that roughly half of children hospitalized with flu in the state had no known underlying medical condition that would have flagged them as high-risk beforehand.
Last Season Set Records Colorado Hasn't Seen in Decades
The warning carries extra weight because of what happened last flu season. Colorado recorded 5,931 flu-related hospitalizations during the 2025-26 season, the state's highest annual total since tracking began in 2004, per KOAA. Of those, 1,169 were children under 18 — the highest pediatric hospitalization count the state has ever recorded, the Denver Post reported.
Eight children in Colorado died from flu complications during that same season, the worst toll since 2009-10, according to the Post's reporting. The season before that, which started in October 2024, had already set its own record with 856 pediatric flu hospitalizations. Nationally, 193 children died of flu complications during the most recent season, down from 297 the season before, the Denver Post reported.
Despite those grim numbers, vaccination rates among Colorado kids remain low. About 37% of children ages 6 months to 9 years got a flu shot last year, and only about 25% of older children and teens did the same, per the Denver Post. The outlet also reported that this year's vaccine appears well matched to the strains currently circulating, according to Dr. Suchitra Rao.
Where Families Can Get a Shot
CDPHE recommends annual flu vaccination for everyone 6 months and older, and notes that full protection takes about two weeks to kick in after the shot, KOAA reported. Vaccines are available at pharmacies, doctors' offices, community health centers and local public health agencies. Most insurance plans, including Medicaid and Child Health Plan Plus, cover the cost.
For families without insurance, free or low-cost flu vaccines for children are available at nearly 600 locations statewide, according to KOAA's report. Under Colorado's communicable disease rules, health care providers are required to report influenza-associated pediatric deaths involving anyone younger than 18 statewide, while facilities must report influenza-associated hospitalizations, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
