Child in WVa dies from the flu, first such death this season

(AP)– A child in West Virginia has died from the flu. The Bureau for Public Health confirmed the death in a statement Tuesday.

Details on the death, including the child’s name and location, were withheld to protect the family’s privacy. The last pediatric flu death in West Virginia occurred during the 2017-18 flu season. The bureau says flu activity is widespread across West Virginia.

Officials recommend washing hands, covering coughs and sneezes and staying home when sick to limit the spread of the flu. Nationwide, 78 pediatric deaths from the flu have been reported this season. Ten of those have occurred in Tennessee.