A Montgomery County Alabama elementary school student has reportedly died from the flu.
Zainab Momin, who was a 3rd grader at Pike Road Elementary, had been home from school due to a high fever and flu like symptoms. She was taken to the hospital on Tuesday night – where she died. The Pike Road School System has been closed since Wednesday due to the winter weather; grief counselors will be provided for students when they return to class on Monday.
Family members of Dr. John McDuffie, a professor at the University of Alabama who died on January 11th, say his death was also due to the flu.
Governor Kay Ivey recently declared a State Public Health Emergency in response to “crisis levels” of flu seen across the state with that action coming after several schools were forced to close due to the flu and hospitals struggled to meet the high volume of patients. Now the Alabama Department of Public Health is conducting, statewide, FREE Influenza Vaccination Clinics. (You can find a list here)
According to the ADPH, Influenza activity levels during Week #2 (the week ending January 13th, 2018) continue to remain significant with a geographic description being widespread
For those who have not yet received their annual Influenza shot, it’s recommended that you choose the Quadrivalent Vaccine, which protects against four strains and is the only vaccine available that provides protection against Influenza B.
(Information provided in part by al.com/www.al.com/www.alabamapublichealth.gov)
