Fifteen children have died in the last month from the flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
A 10-year-old Pennsylvania girl is the latest to die from influenza. She went into a coma last week and never woke up.
Dr. Brian Chow, an infectious disease specialist at Tufts Medical Center, said between 40 to 200 children nationwide die of the flu or flu-related illnesses every year.
It is the height of the flu season, and doctors say it is not too late to get the flu shot.
"It takes two weeks to get the best response to the flu vaccine," said Chow, who stressed that everyone should get it. "It will protect you for the rest of the season.”
The flu season runs anywhere from October to May, and this year, the CDC says it is wide spread across 43 states. In Massachusetts, there is a higher concentration reported in the western suburbs of Boston.
For the first time since it was first administered, the FluMist is no longer an effective option. If you think you have the flu, doctors say there is no need to get tests done unless you are around populations that are vulnerable, like the very young, old or those with medical issues.
