# 4001
This is, undoubtedly, the most disheartening story of the day.
Although we’ll get an update tomorrow in Friday’s FluView report, today’s release of the MMWR indicates that 35 new pediatric influenza deaths were reported in the United States last week.
Nearly double of the week before (18).
Some of those may be from previous weeks, as sometimes there is a bit of lag time in testing and reporting.
But the 5-year weekly average for this time of year is Zero.
Week 44: 35 new deaths reported
Cumulative 2009: 245 total deaths reported
AL (1), AR (2), AZ (1), CA (8), DE (1), GA (1), IL (1), MI (2), MO (1), NJ (1), OH (2), OK (3), TN (2), TX
These would be considered extraordinary numbers in the middle of February, to be occurring in the first week of November (ending Nov 7th) is particularly worrisome.
Since August 31st, the total is sadly now 120 children lost to influenza, during a time of the year when it is rare to lose any.
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