Flu Blamed in Bradenton Boy's Death

A rare complication from the flu virus is blamed in the death of an 11-year-old boy from Bradenton.

Tony Garcia died Dec. 17, according to The Tampa Tribune, more than a month after contracting Influenza A.

The child’s first complaint was a headache, which developed in mid-November, Bay News 9 reported. That quickly turned into a fever, followed by a trip to the doctor, the station reported.

When the boy started having trouble breathing, his mother, Frances Flores, took him to All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, where he was ultimately diagnosed with necrotizing bronchial pneumonia, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported. That condition caused fluid to build up in his lungs, stopped his heart and led to him being placed on life support, the paper said.

The child also developed a secondary infection, the paper stated.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports the 2014-15 flu season is well under way. The agency says it has received “reports of flu illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths, and activity is expected to increase in the coming weeks.”

The CDC recommends an annual flu vaccine for everyone 6 months and older. It also suggests people take precautions to help prevent the spread of germs and also recommends antiviral medications for those who do contract the flu.

In its most recent surveillance map of flu activity in the United States, the CDC reported widespread reports of the illness in Florida.

For more information about fighting the flu, visit the CDC online.

See Also:

• What You Should Know to Fight the Flu

Image courtesy of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention