2 Child Flu Deaths Reported This Season, Maryland Health Department Says
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Flu season is in full swing and now the Maryland Department of Health is reporting the first two child flu deaths of the season.
This month, widespread flu activity is now being reported across Maryland, including at the Pediatric Department of Sinai Hospital.
"We're seeing a lot of influenza type B, which we really haven't seen much in the past few years and it seems to be a strain."
In recent weeks, Dr. Dana Silver said a majority of sick children coming through the outpatient department had the flu.
"I would say probably 70 precent of our sick visits in the outpatient department are related to influenza."
The flu causes fever, aches, coughing, runny noses, discomfort and sometimes leads to pneumonia.
It can be more severe for those who have pre-existing conditions or haven't had the flu shot.
"A lot of the children who are unimmunized are certainly getting a more severe case of it."
If you have the flu, Dr. Silver recommends staying home and washing your hands, unless you have an underlying condition and then recommends getting a prescription from your doctor to reduce the severity of the flu.
Dr. Silver said it's still not too late to get the flu shot.
