The state Department of Health Services says five children have died this flu season.

According to a weekly report released by the agency, three more children have died as a result of complications due to the illness. That brings the total for the state this flu season to five pediatric deaths, the second highest in the nation. Only Texas has had more, with seven.
Nationwide, there have been 56 pediatric deaths tied to the flu this season.

Since October 4, there have been 3,437 hospitalizations in the state from the flu. Of those, 387 people were admitted to intensive care. Officials say this year’s flu vaccine has not been a good match for the predominant flu strain, although they are still urging people to get vaccinated because some protection is better than none.

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