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February 28, 2003

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Flulike Outbreaks Behind Rash of Severe Illness, Deaths Among Children" USA Today (www.usatoday.com) (02/27/03) P. 8D; Manning, Anita

The National Center for Infectious Diseases reports that health officials are examining two outbreaks of flulike illness that have recently taken the lives of children and teenagers.  One outbreak occurred in Virginia, where five children ages two to seven years old succumbed to respiratory failure over the course of four days.  Health officials are also looking at cases in Michigan, where three children ranging from five to 14 years of age died from severe cases of the flu.  Other flu-related illnesses have also been reported, including encephalitis.  Cases in which children died from the flu are rare, since statistics show that 90 percent of people who die from the flu are 65 or older.

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