Child flu, MRSA cases resulting in serious illness and death, local health officials say

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Local health officials are seeing an increase in severe influenza and MRSA cases in children, resulting in serious illness and death.

The Northeast Regional Health Office, which covers seven Northeast Tennessee counties, said the Centers for Disease Control is reporting elevated flu activity across the country with an increase in influenza B in the region.

The agency said several cases of MRSA pneumonia/bacteremia associated with the flu have been reported among children and young adults this week and that these cases “have resulted in severe illness and death.”

According to the health office, none of the cases had any known conditions associated with an elevated risk from the flu and none had evidence of flu vaccination this season.

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“CDC recommends children 6 months of age and older get an annual influenza vaccine,” Dr. David Kirschke with the Northeast Regional Health Office said in a release. “CDC also recommends that vaccination should continue throughout the season as long as influenza viruses are circulating. An influenza vaccine is the best way to reduce the risk of getting sick with flu and developing any of the potentially serious complications that can result. Healthcare providers should remain vigilant for complications of influenza infection, including MRSA co-infection.”

Nationally, flu vaccination coverage among children is down 3.4% compared to the same time last flu season and down 9.8% compared to the same time pre-COVID-19 pandemic (February 2020), according to the health office.

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