The first pediatric influenza death in Michigan for the 2018-19 season has been confirmed by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
The child that died was from Osceola County and was infected with influenza A. Nationally, six children have died from the flu this season.
MDHHS says that Michigan has only experience localized flu activity so far, but they recommend that everyone who is older than 6 months old should get a seasonal flu vaccine.
"Flu vaccine is the best way to prevent against getting the flu and can also reduce the severity of flu illness," a release said.
The 2017-18 flu season was one of the deadliest since the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. More than 79,000 people died as a result of the flu during the last flu season. 185 of those were children. In Michigan, two children died last year because of the flu-related complications.
During the last flu season, only 39.5 percent of Michigan residents were vaccinated against flu, which is below the national rate of 41.7 percent.
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