Young child dies of flu in Virginia, the first this flu season

A young Virginia child died from complication associated with the flu, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) reported on Thursday.

It’s the first pediatric flu death of the 2025-2026 flu season in Virginia.

The child that died was “preschool-age,” between infancy and 4 years old, the VDH said. The health agency is not sharing more information about the child or their family to protect the family’s privacy.

“We at the Virginia Department of Health are broken hearted and extend our sympathies to the family of this child during this difficult time,” Dr. Karen Shelton, the state health commissioner, said in a statement.

“Even though the flu is common, it can cause serious illness and even death,” Shelton continued. “I urge everyone who is eligible to receive the flu vaccine to do so not only to protect themselves, but to protect those around them.”

What to know about the 2025-2026 flu season

Flu has been trending down in Virginia in recent weeks, the VDH says, but the level of respiratory illness in the commonwealth is moderate.

Virginia is still reporting emergency room visit surges for the flu, and the VDH says flu outbreaks have “significantly impacted” childcare facilities and schools.

Estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as of Jan. 3 — the most recent estimates available as of Jan. 15 — say only around 44% of adults nationwide reported getting their flu vaccine this season.

Only around 43% of children nationwide are estimated to have received a flu vaccine.

In Virginia, the numbers are even lower, with less than 30% of eligible residents reporting receiving a flu vaccine this season according to the VDH.

The ideal target, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is to have 70% of people in the U.S. over 6 months old vaccinated against the flu. It’s a goal the U.S. consistently falls short of achieving.

The 2024-2025 flu season was the deadliest on record for U.S. children, the VDH said. Approximately half of children who died from the flu did not have an underlying medical condition and 89% of them were not up to date on their recommended flu vaccines.

Is this year’s flu virus more severe?

This flu season, a new subclade of the typical influenza virus A(H3N2), also known as “subclade K,” has been spreading.

It’s a highly contagious strain of flu, and a different variation of the flu than the one focused on in this season’s vaccine, which is why it became so widespread in several countries.

However, this season’s flu vaccine will still protect against severe illness that could lead to hospitalization and death.

There are also still other strains of the flu that are circulating beside subclade K, and this season’s vaccine will protect against those variations.

The VDH says it is not too late in the season to get your flu vaccine, and can especially help people at higher risk of serious complications.

You can learn more about the flu vaccine here if you’re hesitant to get your shot.

Other ways to prevent the flu include washing your hands often with soap and water, using alcohol-based hand sanitizer, covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or the inside of your elbow, and staying home when you feel sick.