Flu Cases Plummet, But Child Deaths Rise

32 states report widespread disease activity, down from 43 a week ago

By Marie Morris, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 30, 2009 4:48 PM CST

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Flu Cases Plummet, But Child Deaths Rise — Nurse Margaret England of the Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice draws some H1N1 vaccine during a swine flu clinic in Montpelier, Vt., Monday, Nov. 23, 2009. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot)

The number of H1N1 cases fell throughout November, but children under 18 continue to be disproportionately affected by the virus, with 35 deaths reported last week. Flu activity was widespread in 32 states in the weekly report out today, down from 43 a week earlier. And the worrisome rise in pneumonia cases tracking the spread of flu infection continued, HealthDay News reports.

"We wouldn’t be surprised to see another rise in activity later this year or early next year when schools are back in session after the Christmas break," a CDC rep tells Bloomberg. "There’s still a lot of flu out there."
(Read more H1N1 virus stories.)