ATLANTA (RNN) – Another 22 children have died from the flu in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday. That brings the total to 84.
Most of them didn’t get the flu vaccine.
Southern states have been especially hard hit with 24 of the pediatric deaths taking place in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
Flu activity is widespread in 48 states. In 43 of them, activity remains high.
This week’s flu report comes a day after preliminary figures suggest this year’s vaccine is 36 percent effective overall in preventing flu severe enough to send a patient to the doctor's office.
"The vaccines that we have today are not the ones that we'd like to have in 10 years," said acting CDC Director Dr. Anne Schuchat.
As the flu season lingers, the CDC still recommends the vaccine for everyone six months and older.
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