At least two young children in Boston have died from the flu, marking the city’s first pediatric flu deaths since 2013. The severity of the current flu season is highlighted by rising fatalities; Massachusetts has reported 107 adult deaths and 470 total deaths this season, a significant increase from the previous year. Nationally, the CDC reports 32 pediatric deaths and 9,300 adult deaths.
Medical experts attribute the severity to the dominance of the H3N2 virus strain, which often causes the most hospitalizations. Furthermore, approximately 90% of current H3N2 infections differ from the virus covered by this year’s flu vaccine, reducing its effectiveness. While flu activity is declining nationally, officials urge vaccination as the season continues.
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