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Maine health officials this week announced the first pediatric flu death in the state for the 2019-2020 season.
The child, who was not identified, was younger than 5 years old and lived in southern Maine. He or she tested positive for influenza B, a strain of the flu that emerged early this flu season and has largely affected children. The child was not vaccinated against the virus.
“We express our deep condolences to the family for their loss,” Nirav D. Shah, the director of the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a statement.
The news comes after a 7-year-old Pennsylvania boy died of the flu earlier this week. Matthew Wzorek — nicknamed “Smiley” for his infectious grin — was a second-grader at Worrall Elementary School in Broomall, Pa. He died Sunday after battling the flu, his mother, Rebecca Horowitz Wzorek, wrote in a Facebook post.
As of Feb. 8, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 92 pediatric flu-related deaths in the U.S. The CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older receive the flu vaccine each season, and those at risk of serious flu complications should seek immediate medical attention if suspected symptoms develop.