State health officials say a child in the city of Milwaukee had died as a result of complications related to influenza.
The state Department of Health Services and Milwaukee Health Department have only confirmed a pediatric death linked to flu. Due to patient confidentiality laws and out of respect for the family, officials are not releasing the sex, age, race, or residence of the victim. They are also not saying exactly when the child died.
The death is a reminder that the flu season is still very active in Wisconsin. State Health Officer Karen McKeown notes that, while non-life-threatening for many people, seasonal influenza is “a serious disease that can be especially dangerous for children, older adults, individuals with compromised immune systems and those with chronic health illnesses.”
McKeown says it’s still important to get a flu shot to help protect yourself and those around you who may be at high risk for complications from the flu. While it may not protect you from all strains of the illness, she says it can reduce the severity of symptoms and rates of hospitalization and death.