Texas Influenza 2019-20; 37 fatalities, 15 pediatric

[Ronan Kelly]

Kerr County corrections officer dies after battle with flu, sheriff says
Kerr County Sheriff Rusty Hierholzer said the KCSO employee was hospitalized in San Antonio for complications from the flu.
Author: Cameron Songer
Published: 6:55 PM CST December 29, 2019
Updated: 10:58 PM CST December 29, 2019
SAN ANTONIO — A Kerr County corrections officer passed away after a battle with the flu and complications, Kerr County Sheriff Rusty Hierholzer said Sunday.

In a pair of posts on the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, Hierholzer said Stephen Walters was a young man with a family. On Saturday, the sheriff said Walters was in a San Antonio hospital after he came down with the flu in mid-December and complications set in.


Sunday, Sheriff Hierholzer said Walters had died.
...

https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/kerr-county-corrections-officer-dies-after-battle-with-flu/273-9a1927d2-d5b5-47b8-a4be-7523270116d0

[Ronan Kelly]

Tarrant County reports 2nd pediatric flu death of the season
By Macy JenkinsPublished 9 hours agoHealthFOX 4
...
Tarrant County has already reported its second pediatric flu death of the season.

“As of last Friday, there had been seven in Texas. Two of them had been here in Tarrant County,” Jones said.

Jones said the flu strain that's gone widespread this season is a Flu B strain.
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https://www.fox4news.com/news/tarrant-county-reports-2nd-pediatric-flu-death-of-the-season

[Ronan Kelly]

Fourth flu-related death of the season reported in Dallas County
Typically, the number of people who contract the flu increases after the start of the new year

By Jesus Jimenez

6:32 PM on Dec 23, 2019

A 34-year-old Dallas resident has died from influenza, marking the fourth flu-related death in Dallas County for the 2019-20 season.

Dallas County Health and Human Services confirmed the death Monday. The county does not release the names of those who died.
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https://www.dallasnews.com/news/public-health/2019/12/23/fourth-flu-related-death-of-the-season-reported-in-dallas-county/

[Ronan Kelly]

Flu blamed for baby boy's death in northwest Harris County
This is the first pediatric flu-related death in the Houston area since the season began in October.
Author: Michelle Homer
Published: 12:15 PM CST December 23, 2019
Updated: 4:23 PM CST December 23, 2019
HOUSTON — A baby boy in Harris County has died from the flu, according to Harris County Public Health, becoming the first pediatric flu-related death in the Houston area this season.

The boy was less than one-year-old and lived in northwest Harris County.
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https://www.khou.com/article/news/health/flu-blamed-for-baby-boys-death-in-northwest-harris-county/285-5bc527e1-ed44-4f62-b716-55776aa40d6c

[Ronan Kelly]

2019-2020 Season/2019 MMWR Week 50
Please note: The 2019-2020 influenza season began on September 29, 2019.
Reports from the 2018-19 season.

Summary
Influenza activity is high across the state and is above the Texas-specific ILI baseline. Compared to the previous week, the percentage of specimens testing positive for influenza reported by hospital laboratories has increased. The percentage of patient visits due to influenza-like illness (ILI) has increased. One influenza-associated pediatric death was reported. No influenza-associated institutional outbreaks or school closures were reported. In Texas, RSV continues to be the most frequently detected non-flu respiratory virus.
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Influenza-Associated Pediatric Mortality
One influenza-associated pediatric death was reported during week 50.
The death was reported as a 4-year-old resident of HSR 2/3 with no underlying conditions. A specimen collected from the child was positive for influenza B by PCR. The child was not vaccinated for the current season.
Seven influenza-associated pediatric mortalities have been reported in Texas during the 2019-2020 influenza season. Cases of influenza-associated pediatric mortality (children <18 years of age) are reportable year-round by law in Texas.
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https://www.dshs.texas.gov/IDCU/disease/influenza/surveillance/2019/19Wk49Dec20.pdf

[Ronan Kelly]

Dallas County Confirms Third Flu-Related Death of the Season
Dallas County offering free season flu vaccines to children and adults, clinic info below
By Frank Heinz • Published 8 mins ago • Updated 8 mins ago


A third person has died in Dallas County after contracting influenza.

Dallas County Health and Human Services Department confirmed the death Wednesday of a 79-year-old from Irving who had preexisting medical conditions.
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https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/health/dallas-county-confirms-third-flu-related-death-of-the-season/2276597/

[Ronan Kelly]

Six Texas children have died from flu-related causes this season
Six Texas children have died from flu-related causes this season
It's not too late to get your flu shot. (Source: KTRE Staff)



December 13, 2019 at 1:47 PM CST - Updated December 13 at 1:58 PM
Provided by Texas Department of State Health Services

The Texas Department of State Health Services has confirmed that six children have died in Texas of flu-related causes since the flu season started at the end of September. Health officials recommend that everyone 6 months old and older get vaccinated now to prevent flu and its potentially devastating effects.

The children ranged in age from under one year to 16 years old. They lived in four of Texas’ eight public health regions. Four of the children were not vaccinated for the current season. Health officials are still gathering information on the other deaths.
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https://www.kcbd.com/2019/12/13/six-texas-children-have-died-flu-related-causes-this-season/

[Ronan Kelly]

Dallas County Confirms Second Flu-Related Death of the Season

By Frank Heinz • Published 3 hours ago • Updated 3 hours ago


A second person has died in Dallas County after contracting influenza.

Dallas County Health and Human Services Department confirmed the death on Friday of an 81-year-old woman from Grand Prairie. The woman's death comes just four days after the county confirmed the first flu-related death of the season, an unidentified 36-year-old person.
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https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/health/dallas-county-confirms-second-flu-related-death-of-the-season/2273127/

[Ronan Kelly]

First pediatric flu death of the season reported in San Antonio
Rebecca Salinas, Digital Journalist

Published: December 6, 2019, 12:34 pm
SAN ANTONIO – A pediatric flu death — the first of the season — has been reported in San Antonio as the number of people that have tested positive for the virus increases.

The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District reported the death occurred during the week of Nov. 17-23.
,,,

https://www.ksat.com/health/2019/12/06/first-pediatric-flu-death-of-the-season-reported-in-san-antonio/

[Ronan Kelly]

Tarrant County Confirms First Pediatric Flu Death In 4 Years
December 5, 2019 at 5:27 pm

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – Tarrant County Public Health has confirmed the first pediatric flu death of this season.

It’s the first reported pediatric flu death in Tarrant County since 2015. There were three other pediatric flu deaths reported in Texas in the current season so far.

“Because of the sensitive nature of the information, we can’t share any other details, other than to say that the child had underlying health conditions,” said Tarrant County Public Health Director Vinny Taneja. “The patient tested positive for Influenza B, which is circulating early and predominantly this season,” he said.
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https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2019/12/05/tarrant-county-confirms-first-pediatric-flu-death-in-4-years/

[Shiloh]

Source: https://ktxs.com/news/local/pediatri...-wichita-falls

Pediatric flu-related death in Wichita Falls
by Jamie BurchWednesday, November 27th 2019

WICHITA FALLS, Texas — The Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health District is reporting the second pediatric flu-related death of the season in Texas.

No other details were released.

On Nov. 15, the Texas Department of State Health Services announced a 5-year-old from the Rio Grande Valley died from the flu...

[Ronan Kelly]

State Flu Homepage: https://www.dshs.texas.gov/IDCU/dise...2019-2020.aspx

Texas DSHS Confirms First Child Death Of 2019-2020 Flu Season
November 15, 2019 at 2:34 pm

RIO GRANDE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) — The Texas Department of State Health Services has confirmed the first flu-related child death of the 2019-2020 season.

The child, 5, was from the Rio Grande health region and did not get a flu shot this year.



In a report released Friday, the DSHS said flu activity in Texas has continued to rise and is at an above-average level.
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https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2019/11/15/...20-flu-season/