This year’s flu season has gotten off to a late start but infections are on the rise and public health officials are urging people of every age to get a flu vaccination if they haven’t done so already.  As a rule, a bout with the flu is worse for the very young and the very old but two Maryland teenagers recently died from flu-like symptoms.

The two boys, aged 13 and 15, were hospitalized after developing similar symptoms indicative of influenza.  Both boys eventually died, an outcome Peter Beilenson describes as “very unusual.”  Beilenson, a health officer for Howard County, Maryland, even described one of the boys as healthy and athletic before becoming ill.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has noted the recent increase in illness although this year’s flu season officially started almost six weeks ago.  CDC records identify 78 deaths attributed to the flu in children younger than 18 during last year’s flu season.

Even though the season is well under way, it’s not too late to get vaccinated and public health officials are urging parents to get all children vaccinated, regardless of age.  As a rule, all children under age 5 are safer when vaccinated but children of all ages are getting infected this year.  One school near Baltimore, the Immaculate Conception Elementary School, had so many children reporting flu symptoms classes were canceled this past week.