FILE – In this Jan. 10, 2013, nurse Debbie Smerk, left, administers a flu shot to Pamela Black at MetroHealth, in Cleveland. A new report shows this winter’s nasty flu season has peaked and is clearly retreating. The flu reached its highest levels around the beginning of January, and stayed there for weeks. The government report out Friday, Feb. 13, 2015, shows flu has become less widespread and less intense in the last couple of weeks. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File) PEDIATRIC DEATHS IN TENNESSEE
These figures are for the calendar year, but health officials also look at deaths per season, which spans the end of one calendar year and the beginning of another. For example, there were 10 flu-related deaths in 2014, but six were from this current flu season, along with the three reported in 2015. 2007 — 2 deaths 2008 — 2 deaths 2009 — 15 deaths 2010 — 1 death 2011 — 0 deaths 2012 — 1 death 2013 — 3 deaths 2014 — 10 deaths (six from the 2014-2015 flu season) 2015 — 3 deaths to date Source: Tennessee Department of Health
TOP 10 CITIES WITH FLU ACTIVITY
1. Oklahoma City, Okla. 2. Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen, Texas 3. Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas 4. Jackson, Miss. 5. Fort Smith-Fayetteville, Ark. 6. Knoxville, Tenn. 7. Austin, Texas 8. Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Ark. 9. Chattanooga, Tenn. 10. Tulsa, Okla. Source: Walgreens Flu Index
At least two Hamilton County children have died from flu-related complications this season, joining the toll of the largest number of flu-related pediatric deaths Tennessee has seen since the H1N1 pandemic in 2009, state officials said.
So far, nine Tennessee children have died from the flu this season, health officials have confirmed.
“The flu hit Tennessee hard this year, and we’re not completely out of the woods yet,” said Dr. Kelly Moore, director of the Tennessee Department of Health immunization program. “We are still reporting influenza activity.”