10-year-old girl is first flu-related child death in Harris County
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Health officials confirmed Harris County's first flu-related death of a child.
A 10-year-old girl with underlying health conditions died this month, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. They told ABC13 the child tested positive for influenza B and did not receive a flu vaccine this season. The child passed away sometime between Feb. 4-10.
Officials are urging parents to get their child vaccinated, even if they've already had the flu.
Doctors tell us there are four strains of flu, and you can get the flu more than once in the same season.
The flu season lasts from October through May, so we still have several more months to go.
New research just released on Friday shows this season's vaccine is actually better at protecting children than adults.
"Fortunately this year, the vaccine is more effective in children than adults and even if it is the flu, if they've been vaccinated, they tend to have a milder course," said Dr. Brian C. Reed, director of Disease Control with Harris County Public Health.
As of last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there have been 84 flu-related deaths of children across the country.
Seventy-five percent of those children were not vaccinated.
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ORIGINAL REPORT: First flu-related death of a child reported in Harris County
