Flu kills three in Ohio in past two weeks

Ohio has reported the third flu-related child death this season, which all occurred within the past two weeks as the flu season began to hit its peak.

The most recent victims were a 6-year-old girl in Cuyahoga County and a 7-year-old girl in Fulton County who died of flu-related symptoms earlier this week, according to a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Health. A 6-year-old boy from Columbiana County died last week.

Overall, flu activity and the number of flu-related hospitalizations continues to increase across the state, according to ODH, which reported 396 new confirmed flu-related hospitalizations last week, compared to 395 in the previous week.

So far, there have been 2,075 total flu-associated hospitalizations since the current flu season began in October. During last year’s flu season, Ohio had 3,633 total flu-associated hospitalizations, and 9,374 two years ago.

There was one flu-related pediatric death during last year’s flu season, and six pediatric deaths in previous flu season, ODH reported.

Milton-Union schools closed district-wide Friday because of flu-like symptoms, according to Superintendent Brad Ritchey.

Ritchey said that on Thursday, more than 250 students were out sick, in a district that usually has fewer than 1500 students in district schools.

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