A fifth child in Massachusetts has died from the flu, according to the state’s health department, as the fast-spreading virus continues to surge across the country.
The latest pediatric influenza-related death to occur in the 2025-2026 season was included in Thursday’s update on the Massachusetts Department of Health’s dashboard and reflects data collected through Jan. 10.
Data shows 107 adults in the Bay State have also died from the flu to date this season.
Forty-five states, including Massachusetts, were experiencing high to very high levels of flu activity to end the year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and officials said cases were expected to rise in the new year following holiday gatherings and travel.
“Just looking at the trajectory of the curve, it’s really a pretty sharp increase that we’re seeing, and it’s not anywhere close to peaking or leveling off,” Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes, a senior infectious disease physician at Mass General Brigham in Boston, told NBC News at the end of December.
A new and highly-contagious flu variant that has contributed to the fast-paced rise in cases, known as “subclade K,” comes with the following symptoms: really high fevers that in some cases are not responding to typical treatments like Tylenol or Motrin, a really bad cough that won’t go away and is very phlegmy, and a lot of joint and muscle aches, as well as vomiting and diarrhea.
Experts say it’s still not too late to get a flu shot this season. While this season’s flu vaccine was not formulated specifically for the new variant, doctors say it will still help protect against more severe illness and death.
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