The Center for Disease Control has reported only nine cases of flu-related pediatric mortality across seven states during the week ending December 19. The week ending December 12 reported the same number.
This time, Iowa reported the most number of flu-related deaths with only three cases. New York has two while New Jersey, Ohio, South Carolina and West Virgina have only one case of pediatric mortality each. Eight of these nine deaths were associated with A (H1N1) virus infection and one was associated with an influenza A virus for which the subtype was undetermined.
Since August 30, 2009, CDC has received 221 reports of influenza-associated pediatric deaths that occurred during the current influenza season (40 deaths in children less than 2 years old, 25 deaths in children 2-4 years old, 81 deaths in children 5-11 years old, and 75 deaths in children 12-17 years old). One hundred eighty-one (82%) of the 221 deaths were due to 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infections, 39 were associated with influenza A virus for which the subtype is undetermined, and one was associated with an influenza B virus infection. A total of 241 deaths in children associated with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infection have been reported to CDC.
According to the CDC, there have been 352 flu-related pediatric deaths thus far in 2009. There were 90 in 2008, 77 in 2007, 43 in 2006 and 45 in 2005.