Twelve more pediatric influenza deaths were confirmed Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), making 2024-’25 the deadliest non-pandemic flu season on record for U.S. children with 216.
Last year set the previous high for a non-pandemic season with 207 pediatric deaths. In the 2009-’10 flu pandemic season, there were 288. The CDC defines a flu pandemic season as one in which a new influenza A virus spreads globally.
The 12 deaths reported to the CDC for the week ending April 26 occurred between Feb. 1 and April 19. They likely won’t be the last reported during this “high severity” flu season, though all seasonal flu activity continues its decline from a February peak.
“Nationally, outpatient respiratory illness remained stable this week and is below baseline,” the CDC said in its weekly flu surveillance report. “All (Department of Health and Human Services) regions are below their region-specific baselines.”
Flu-associated hospitalizations have declined steadily since the week ending Feb. 8, according to the Influenza Hospitalization Surveillance Network, but the cumulative hospitalization rate of 127.4 per 100,000 population for the season is the highest observed since 2010-’11. The five highest rates by age group include 103.6 per 100,000 for children ages 0-4 years (third highest) and 39.8 per 100,000 for children ages 5-17 years (fifth highest).
Ten of the newly reported pediatric deaths were associated with influenza A viruses and two with influenza B viruses.
The CDC reported April 25 that 49% of U.S. children have been vaccinated against the flu this season and recommends everyone 6 months and older get a flu shot. While flu activity has declined greatly in the current season, influenza viruses continue to circulate. Protection against the illness typically begins two weeks after vaccine administration.
There have been at least 47 million illnesses, 610,000 hospitalizations and 26,000 deaths from flu this season, according to the CDC.
No new human cases of avian influenza were reported Friday. There have been 70 cases and one death associated with bird flu reported this year.
Pertussis update
According to provisional CDC data for the week ending April 26, more than 500 additional cases of pertussis (whooping cough) have been reported in the U.S., bringing the 2025 total to 9,034.
No new pediatric pertussis deaths have been reported in the last week. The Louisiana Office of the Surgeon General confirmed on March 27 that two infants died of whooping cough within the previous six months, and the Spokane Regional Health District in Washington state reported on Feb. 5 that a child under age 5 died in November 2024.
Vaccination is the best prevention against whooping cough. The immunization schedule calls for the first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine to be given at 2 months of age. Subsequent doses are given at 4 months and 6 months, with boosters at 15-18 months and 4-6 years. A tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap) booster is recommended at 11-12 years old.
To prevent adult transmission to babies, people in close contact with infants younger than 1 year should get a booster, and pregnant people should get the vaccine during the third trimester.
