Two Children Die of the Flu in San Diego County: Hospitalizations at Six Times Last Year's Level
San Diego, San Diego County, California: Two children have died of flu-related causes in San Diego County this month, according to the county health department's latest report: a healthy 11-year-old and a 6-month-old infant with complex underlying medical conditions.
The county also reported that flu-related hospitalizations this season have reached six times the level of the same point last year. The county's respiratory virus surveillance report shows a marked rise in flu test positivity among children ages 5 to 17.
NBC 7 San Diego reported that the county has recorded 11 flu-related deaths and 516 hospitalizations so far this season, of which the two pediatric deaths are a part.
County health officials note that flu season typically begins around October and that vaccination is generally recommended before Halloween; everyone 6 months and older can be vaccinated. A forecasting tool developed by the county with UC San Diego shows flu activity arriving earlier this year than usual, and hospitals are preparing accordingly for the respiratory virus peak.
Source: GSM News, America
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：流感疫苗接种（资料图）。 / Photo: Flu vaccination (file photo). 来源：Wikimedia Commons 文件页 File:Fight the flu 151005-D-RT812-014.jpg（Public domain），作者：Christine Cabalo（美国国防部）。
