A third New Jersey child has died from influenza complications this season, Health Commissioner Dr. Shereef Elnahal announced today.
According to officials, the infant from northern New Jersey died in late January and had several underlying conditions. The child was not able to be vaccinated for medical reasons. In order to protect patient privacy, the Department will not be releasing additional information.
“I extend my deepest sympathies to the family of this young child,” said New Jersey Health Commissioner Dr. Shereef Elnahal. “There is high flu activity in the state, so it’s important for those who have not yet gotten a flu shot to get vaccinated, especially children, the elderly, and people with certain health conditions who are at high risk for serious flu complications. Influenza can cause severe illness and unfortunately can be deadly, especially in these vulnerable populations. It is also important for health care workers to be vaccinated.”
The Department of Health also recommends that people take the necessary precautions during this flu season: wash or disinfect your hands frequently, cover any coughs and sneezes, stay home and call your health care provider if you are sick (especially with a fever).
Residents can find flu vaccination clinics near them by calling their local health department or by visiting https://www.cdc.gov/flu/freeresources/flu-finder-widget.html.
Local health department contact information can be found on this site: www.localhealth.nj.gov
To learn more about flu, please visit https://nj.gov/health/cd/topics/flu.shtml
Flu Information for Parents can be found on the Department’s website.
For the Department's latest Weekly Flu Report, visit https://nj.gov/health/cd/statistics/flu-stats