6th pediatric flu death reported in Massachusetts

BOSTON — Six children have now passed away from the flu in Massachusetts, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

The DOH’s dashboard is reporting that from the week of January 18 to January 24, the current estimated Influenza-like illness activity is high, while current estimated severity of influenza for that week is estimated to be low.

There’s been a total of 193 influenza deaths in the Commonwealth since August of 2025, with 187 deaths among adults.

The Center for Disease and Control says symptoms for the flu include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headache, fatigue, and some people may have vomiting and diarrhea.

To prevent getting the flu, experts advise getting the flu vaccine especially for some people who at high risker of developing serious complications, this includes people 65 years and older, people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), pregnant women and children younger than 5 years, but especially those younger than 2 years old.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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