A patient who came into Children’s National Hospital in D.C. last weekend and tested positive for the flu has died.
“The team at Children’s National Hospital is dedicated to providing the very best care to every patient and our hearts break any time a family loses a child,” a hospital spokesperson said in a statement.
More than 30 pediatric deaths associated with the flu have been reported nationwide during the 2019-2020 flu season, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Flu symptoms in children that require attention include:
- Trouble breathing
- Bluish lips or face
- Chest or severe muscle pain
- No urine for eight hours
- Not alert when awake
- Seizures
- Fever over 100 degrees
The CDC said children younger than 5 years old — especially those younger than 2 — are at high risk of developing serious flu-related complications; a flu vaccine offers the best defense against flu and its potentially serious consequences and can also reduce the spread of flu to others.
Find out more about children and the flu on the CDC’s website.
