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4 Children Died From Flu in NYC Last Month, Health Department Says

By Ben Fractenberg | February 7, 2017 5:54pm
 Four children passed away from the flu in New York City in January, officials said.
Four children passed away from the flu in New York City in January, officials said.
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MIDTOWN — Four children died in New York City from the flu in January, just one fewer than the number of children who died from the illness across the state all of last season, according to officials. 

So far this winter, 15 children across the country died from flu-related symptoms, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. There were 89 kids who died from the illness in the 2015-2016 flu season.

“The state Department of Health encourages all New Yorkers to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their families from the flu,” the New York State Department of Health said in a statement. “Getting a flu vaccine is the best way for people to protect themselves during the flu season.”

There was no information on the ages or specific location of the children who passed away in the city this year.

There were five children who died in New York State last season and six each in the previous two flu seasons.

Everyone 6 months and older is advised to get a yearly flu vaccine, according to the Health Department.

The elderly are particularly at risk, with 90 percent of flu-related deaths occurring in people 65 years or older.