Earlier this week Gov. Andy Beshear reported six new, flu-related pediatric deaths, including three in the past week.
This toll already meets the prior record for the highest number of pediatric influenza deaths ever reported in Kentucky in a single flu season. The prior record was established during the 2019-2020 flu season, when six children died of influenza.
None of the children who died in the current influenza season had received a flu shot, according to the Department for Public Health.
Kentucky currently is reporting 29,341 laboratory-confirmed cases of flu, with the state flu activity level classified as “widespread” for the ninth consecutive week. Most reported cases of influenza have occurred in children.
More information on influenza is available here: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm.