Five more children have died of complications due to flu, bringing the number of child deaths in the U.S. this season to 71.
The new death toll is only slightly higher than the 2024-2025 flu season, which saw a total of 68 child flu deaths by February 2025.
During both seasons, the majority of child deaths have been tied to low vaccination coverage.
Approximately 90 percent of the deaths this year have been in children who were not fully vaccinated against the flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
One of the deaths was linked to influenza B, the agency noted. Levels of influenza B, a strain of flu that is more severe in children, have been rising in recent weeks.
By Valentine’s Day, it made up just over 45 percent of cases, while influenza A – the majority of flu infections – made up nearly 55 percent.
In the previous week, influenza B cases made up nearly 33 percent, while influenza A cases were at over 67 percent.
Doctors have been bracing for rising levels of the strain, which are usually seen in the latter half of America’s flu season. The season typically stretches from October to May.
“I think we are going to see some flu B, especially activity over the next few weeks, because we are seeing some percentages that are kind of stuck and not continuing to trickle down,” Dr. Claudia Hoyen of University Hospitals told Cleveland’s FOX 8.
“The thing, though, that has been a little bit worrisome for us this year is that we are seeing a lot of children with complications from the flu,” she added.
Influenza B shares a lot of similarities with influenza A, but can also lead to more seizures, vomiting and diarrhea in children, according to Cleveland Clinic Infectious disease doctor Sherif Mossad.
Infection can also lead to complications such as pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, heart disease, respiratory failure and brain swelling, according to the Children’s Hospital of Orange County.
It may lead to intense pain in the limbs known as viral myositis, which can make it hard for children to walk for a few days.
“Influenza B is more common with viral myositis,” Dr. Mustafa Bakir, a pediatric infectious disease specialist with OSF HealthCare, explained.
