A child died from influenza in what is the first death to date in Maine during the 2021-22 season, the Maine Center for Disease and Prevention reported on Tuesday.
The last influenza-associated death in a Maine child happened in February 2020, according to Robert Long, spokesperson for the Maine CDC. An influenza-associated death is when a person has symptoms with a positive flu test, but dies before recovering, he said.
The Maine CDC did not specify the child’s age, but said that they had tested positive for influenza A.
The flu is circulating at elevated levels in Maine, Long said, and causes a fever of more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit, along with a cough or sore throat. Those at high risk for more serious illness include young children, people 65 years and older, pregnant people and those with certain medical conditions.
The Maine CDC encourages Mainers to wash their hands, cover their coughs, stay home if they’re sick and to get vaccinated.
