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8-month-old boy becomes Ohio’s first pediatric flu death of this flu season

ASHLAND COUNTY — The Ohio Department of Health reported the state’s first flu-associated pediatric death of the flu season on Friday.

ODH said an 8-month-old boy from Ashland County was the first child to die from the flu in this 2021-22 season.

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The Ashland County Health Department investigated the death.

According to ODH, there have been 972 flu-associated hospitalizations reported in the state so far this flu season. At this point last flu season, there were only 108 reported hospitalizations, which ODH said was an unusually low amount for a typical flu season.

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Health officials said they believe COVID-19 mitigation efforts likely contributed to the decline in 2020-21 flu incidence and hospitalizations.


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