3 New York kids died from influenza-related illnesses in last year's record season for pediatric flu fatalities

Three children from New York died from rare but serious neurological conditions triggered by an influenza infection during last year’s severe flu season, state health officials said Tuesday.

Overall, there were 109 reports of children who fell ill with influenza-associated encephalopathy (IAE) and acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) across the United States during the 2024-2025 flu season, according to recently released federal data. The majority of those children who were eligible for the flu vaccine had not received it, researchers said.

State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said the new data underscores the importance of flu vaccines, especially among young children. The vaccine is recommended for everyone over the age of 6 months. Last season marked the highest number of pediatric flu deaths since records started being kept in 2004.

"The seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to protect against these tragedies and is the best measure of protection for babies and young children who are vulnerable to severe pediatric-related illnesses caused by the flu," he said in a statement.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s most recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) states that the median age of children with IAE was 5 and 55% were previously healthy. Their symptoms included fever and altered mental status.

About three-quarters of them were admitted intensive care units and 19% died. Of those children who were eligible, 16% had received the flu shot.

More than 40% of children who developed the more serious ANE, which is marked by seizures, died.

In New York, 26 children during the virulent 2024-2025 flu season had influenza-associated deaths. Nationally, there were more than 200 pediatric flu deaths that season as well.

The state said pediatric flu deaths have increased from three in 2021-2022, to 13 in 2022-2023 and 20 in 2023-2024.

State Health Department officials said they do not release county-level information on pediatric flu deaths to protect the privacy of the families involved.

At the same time, the number of children getting vaccinated against the flu in the United States has dropped steadily from 62.4% between October 2019 and April 2020 to 49.2% between October 2024 and April 2025.

Dr. Eric Levene, a pediatrician who works with several Long Island offices of Allied Physicians Group, noted that while some people do not get seriously ill from influenza, others develop pneumonia or worse.

"People sometimes forget very young children are at risk and they also spread flu because they are in school and around other kids," he said. "Getting them vaccinated prevents them from bringing it to grandma when they visit."

There were 13 suspected cases of influenza-associated encephalopathy and acute necrotizing encephalopathy in New York last flu season. Nine children of these cases had not received the seasonal flu vaccine and one was ineligible, according to state officials.

These conditions are not usually recorded through annual surveillance but after the CDC learned of child deaths to ANE in January, it asked health departments and doctors to notify the agency of any possible cases.

By Lisa L. Colangelo

lisa.colangelo@newsday.com@lisalcolangelo

Lisa joined Newsday as a staff writer in 2019. She previously worked at amNewYork, the New York Daily News and the Asbury Park Press covering politics, government and general assignment.