{"id":59206,"date":"2018-02-19T11:07:36","date_gmt":"2018-02-19T11:07:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=59206"},"modified":"2018-02-19T11:07:36","modified_gmt":"2018-02-19T11:07:36","slug":"flu-outbreak-new-jersey-public-school-student-dies-after-influenza-diagnosis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/health\/flu-outbreak-new-jersey-public-school-student-dies-after-influenza-diagnosis.html","title":{"rendered":"FLU OUTBREAK: NEW JERSEY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT DIES AFTER INFLUENZA DIAGNOSIS"},"content":{"rendered":"

FLU OUTBREAK: NEW JERSEY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT DIES AFTER INFLUENZA DIAGNOSIS<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

A student at a public school in New Jersey has died after contracting the flu, a school board official said late Sunday.<\/span><\/p>\n

Health officials have confirmed that the student was diagnosed with influenza, but they have yet to determine whether the virus was directly responsible for the student’s death.<\/span><\/p>\n

If so, the student will be the third pediatric flu victim to die in New Jersey this season.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a letter to parents and guardians, Elizabeth Public Schools Supt. Olga Hugelmeyer wrote on Sunday evening: “It is with great sadness that I must report to you that the Elizabeth School District has lost one of its own.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“I offer our thoughts, condolences and prayers to the family of our student at this heart-wrenching time,” she added.<\/span><\/p>\n

It comes just a week after state officials had confirmed that a second child had died of flu, with friends and family identifying the victim as 6-year-old Nevaeh Hernandez of North Bergen. Hernandez had been vaccinated for the flu, her family had told local media.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another child from the Central Jersey area had died from the virus in December.<\/span><\/p>\n

New Jersey has seen its highest number of flu cases in 15 years, with more than 4,000 cases reported between February 3 and February 10 alone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hugelmeyer warned that the flu virus “has been widespread this winter season and poses a serious health risk, making it very important that everyone take appropriate precautions.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The New Jersey Department of Health has said it is not too late for students to get vaccinated if they haven’t already. All people 6 months and older are advised to get the influenza vaccine.<\/span><\/p>\n

It recently emerged that at least three-quarters of the children who have died from the flu this season were not vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)<\/span><\/p>\n

The CDC said as many as 84 children have died of the flu since the season began in the fall.<\/span><\/p>\n

The New Jersey Health Department department also urged parents to keep students who are sick at home, especially if they have a fever. They should not return to school until they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.<\/span><\/p>\n

Symptoms associated with the flu can include cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, sudden onset of fevers, chills, severe body aches, headache, fatigue and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting.<\/span><\/p>\n

Elizabeth Public Schools says it is taking extra precautions this season, asking students with a fever over 100 F to stay home from school until they have been symptom-free for 48 hours without a fever-reducing medication.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hugelmeyer said the school board has also made additional efforts to ensure its schools “have been cleaned in a more aggressive manner these past couple of months, including all ‘touch points’,” such as door knobs, railings and desks.<\/span><\/p>\n

She added that grief counseling would be available for students and others affected by the recent death.<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-\u00a0http:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/public-school-student-dies-after-suffering-flu-symptoms-810652<\/span><\/p>\n

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