WebMD Medical News Daniel J. DeNoon Laura J. Martin, MD Jan. 14,
2011 - Don't put off your flu shot any longer: The winter flu
season has arrived. While only four states have high levels of
flu activity, the seasonal illness is widespread across 11
states. And there's evidence of outbreaks in several U.S.
cities. Sadly, four children died of flu in the first week of
January, the latest week for which CDC data is available. So
far, the 2010-2011 flu season has claimed the lives of eight
children. There were 282 U.S. pediatric deaths during last
year's flu pandemic, 133 in the 2008-2009 season, and 88 in the
2007-2008 season. Hospitals in 122 U.S. cities report that
deaths from "pneumonia and influenza" -- a statistic that
reflects flu activity -- are at the epidemic level. They've been
on the upswing since just before Christmas. While the CDC data
show that flu definitely has arrived, they do not predict where,
when, or even whether the disease will flare up or die down. In
states with high flu activity, flu m