2nd Massachusetts child in a week dies from flu-related illness
It is peak flu season, and this week Massachusetts reported two flu-related deaths — both of them children. The Department of Public health confirmed that a 4-year-old girl and a 12-year-old boy, identified as 7th grader Aaron Zenus, both died this week due to flu-related illnesses.
Zenus’s mother told local WBZ-TV that her son had received the flu shot this year. She also noted that after he got sick, she kept him home from school and kept his environment clean, but he developed a bacterial infection that ultimately killed him.
Dr. Mallika Marshall told WBZ-TV of this incident, “One of the most dangerous complications of the flu is bacterial pneumonia, and that is what sometimes ends up landing people in the hospital and can be deadly.”
An obituary for Zenus said he would be “remembered for his unselfishness and putting others first, for his playful spirit and the love of his family.”
The identity of the 4-year-old girl has not been made public, but it’s been reported she lived in Middlesex County.
The 2017-2018 flu season saw 185 flu-related deaths in children across the country, the deadliest flu season since 2004 when the CDC began reporting flu-related deaths in minors. According to the CDC, this season has so far seen 22 “influenza-associated” pediatric deaths.
Flu outbreaks have already temporarily closed schools across the country in numerous states including Texas, Alabama, Kentucky, and Michigan. The flu season typically extends through May.
For parents and caretakers who want more information, the CDC provides online resources for what to do if your child gets sick with the flu.
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