While much attention has been paid over the past several weeks to the coronavirus, in the United States, more children have died from influenza B/Victoria and A/H1N1 viruses than the coronavirus. So far, no U.S. children have died from the virus that was first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 14 children died from the flu last week, and a total of 68 have died so far this season. The CDC also estimates that there have been at least 19 million flu illnesses, 180,000 hospitalizations and 10,000 deaths from flu during the 2019-2020 season. The death toll of children during previous flu seasons has ranged from 37 to 187, although the CDC’s mathematical models that account for the underreporting of flu-related deaths in children estimate the actual number was closer to 600 in 2017-2018.
The CDC says that flu activity remains high, but indicators that track severity (hospitalizations and deaths) are not high at this point in the season.
The agency is recommending vaccination as the best way to prevent the flu and its complications, which can include pneumonia, bronchitis, heart problems and more. Other common-sense precautions include covering your mouth when you cough, washing your hands frequently and avoiding people who are sick.
Generally, influenza B is more common in children, and Influenza A is more common in adults, reports ABC News. Early in the 2019-2020 season, flu activity was mostly driven by influenza B, but there has been a recent increase in influenza A (H1N1) activity.
