MUNCIE, Ind. -- A local girl, nearly 4 years old, died Monday of the flu and a secondary infection of pneumonia, according to the Delaware County coroner.
The death is Muncie's first child death from the influenza virus this season, according to the coroner Scott Hahn.
Alivia R. Viellieux, who would have turned 4 on March 20, was admitted to IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital on Tuesday of last week, Hahn said. She tested positive for influenza virus type A but was released Thursday.
Viellieux died at home, Hahn said.
Hahn's medical examination Monday determined Viellieux had a secondary infection of pneumonia.
The most recent weekly influenza report from the Indiana State Department of Health listed 167 deaths statewide, including one in the 0-4 age range and five among ages 5-24. That report was published on Friday.
Delaware County was not listed among the counties with five or more flu deaths this season.
Monday's death isn't the first locally that was related to flu this season, but previous instances have involved people with contributing health issues in addition to flu, Hahn said.The number of local flu cases overall is well ahead of this time last year, with IU Health BMH reporting 249 confirmed influenza cases in January 2018, compared to 65 cases in January 2017.
Nationwide, people have been hospitalized for the flu this year at a rate of 51.4 per 100,000, the highest rate since Centers for Disease Control began keeping comparable statistics in 2010.
Nationally, 16 children reportedly died of flu in the last week of January, the most to die in a single week since 2014-15, bringing the total child deaths nationwide this season to 53.
Audrey Kirby, Greg Fallon and The Indianapolis Star contributed to this report.
Flu facts
- Influenza is a respiratory disease caused by influenza viruses, which cause an infection of the upper airway and lungs. The flu can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death.
- Symptoms can include fever 100 degrees or greater, headache, fatigue, cough, a runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches and sore throat. The Centers for the Disease Control notes that note everyone with flu will have a fever.
- Flu viruses spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing. Influenza viruses are released into the air and can be inhaled by others, or by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching mouth or nose. A person with flu can spread it to others up to about 6 feet away.
- Infection can occur when influenza viruses contact the eyes, mouth, or nose, and possibly through inhaling droplets from a sneeze or cough.
- Adults can spread the flu from one day before symptoms develop until seven days after symptoms appear. Children can pass the virus for longer than seven days, according to the CDC. Symptoms start one to four days after the virus enters the body.
- The best protection is an annual flu vaccination. The vaccine takes 14 days for the full protective effect to occur, according to the Indiana Department of Health.
Source: Indiana State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control
