2 More Children Die; Flu Suspected
Parents Urged To Let Kids Stay Home If They're Sick
POSTED: 11:23 am MST December 4, 2003
UPDATED: 5:57 pm MST December 4, 2003
Two children who recently died unexpectedly are suspected to have died from the flu.
An 11-year-old girl in Colorado Springs and a toddler in Pueblo died Wednesday.
The sixth-grader at Emerson-Edison Charter School student is Colorado's latest flu victim, the principal said Thursday. El Paso County health officials are still trying to confirm that. Counselors were on hand Thursday at the school to comfort other students after the girl's unexpected death.District 11 Superintendent Norm Ridder asked for a moment of silence before Wednesday night's school board meeting in memory of the girl. Principal Carla Blum urged parents to keep children home if they appear to be sick, in hopes of stopping the spread of the flu.
Pueblo County health officials are also investigating the death of a toddler, a death they say was "suspicious" of influenza A.More details are expected to be released at a Thursday afternoon news conference.The Pueblo City-County Health Department will conduct an emergency flu shot clinic beginning Friday. Children are considered a high priority for the vaccination. Health officials are recommending children 6 months of age or older get flu shots.State officials are also trying to determine whether the death of a 2-year-old child last month was flu-related.The state's flu death toll officially stands at five -- all of them children. The toll would rise to eight if these latest deaths are tied to the flu.Colorado reported 6,306 cases of the flu Wednesday. That's an increase of 1,619 cases from Monday, and more than the last two flu seasons combined (6,239).Colorado is one of 10 states with a widespread flu outbreak.
An 11-year-old girl in Colorado Springs and a toddler in Pueblo died Wednesday.|
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 Colorado Flu Hotline:(877) 462-2911 Find Flu Clinic: (888) 692-0269SLIDESHOW:Tips For Fighting Flu At Work QUIZ:  Flu Shots: True Or False? Why It Takes So Little To Catch FluSchool Reacts To Student's Flu DeathHow Flu Killed An 8-Year-Old BoyDoctors: Don't Use Common Remedy On FluDoctors Race To Slow Flu Spread FAQsPreventionProtect KidsFlu ShotsChicken Soup? Did You Get The Flu? Immunize Colorado: Find Flu ClinicColo. Flu SurveillanceCold Or Flu?CDC Flu Site |
Previous Stories:
- December 3, 2003: Flu Cases Grow To More Than 6,300; Five Dead, All Children
- December 3, 2003: Coroner: Two More Children Die From Flu
- December 2, 2003: Hospitals Report Slower Rise In Flu Cases
- December 1, 2003: State Reports Nearly 4,700 Flu Cases
- November 28, 2003: Airport Workers Join Fight Against Flu
- November 26, 2003: Parents Stunned After Son Dies Of Flu
- November 25, 2003: Three More Children Die From Flu
- November 25, 2003: Number Of Flu Cases Surges In Colorado
- November 21, 2003: Colorado Teen Becomes Season's First Flu Fatality
- November 20, 2003: Colorado's Flu Outbreak Spreading
- November 19, 2003: Flu Outbreak Closes Fairplay Schools
- November 18, 2003: Flu Cases In State Up 300 Percent In One Week
- November 18, 2003: Flu Outbreak Shuts Down School District
- November 18, 2003: Flu Season Starts Early
- November 17, 2003: Doctor Dispels Myths As Flu Season Begins
- November 16, 2003: Experts: Flu Season Off To Rough Start
- November 14, 2003: Number Of Flu Cases Rapidly Rising
- November 10, 2003: Coloradoans Worst At Immunizing Children
- November 4, 2003: Flu Outbreak Hits Larimer County School
- October 16, 2003: Health Officials Remind People To Get Their Flu Shots
Copyright 2004 by TheDenverChannel.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
