North Dakota flu season includes first child deaths since 2016

Flu vaccine rate in state has fallen each of past 5 years, data shows

BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — North Dakota health officials are encouraging residents to pay attention to potential flu symptoms after five influenza-associated deaths this flu season — with two deaths in children younger than 10.

North Dakota had not reported a childhood flu death since 2016.

“It remains rare,” Dr. Michelle Dethloff with the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services said of child deaths.

But cases of the flu have not been rare this flu season.

More than 5,000 cases have been reported in North Dakota as of Jan. 3. There were 1,727 cases reported during the week of Christmas.

“Cases have been widespread across the state,” Dethloff said.

Dr. Justin Reisenauer, chief medical officer for Sanford Health, said flu season is hard for parents of children who don’t yet have language skills to describe symptoms.

“It definitely can be scary for parents,” Reisenauer said.

Some symptoms to watch for include fewer wet diapers, dark urine and not seeing tears when a child cries — all signs of dehydration. Other signs include increased fussiness or being lethargic, congestion, fevers, blue lips or fingertips and labored breathing.

“Where you see the ribs flaring out on the sides of their chest wall when they’re trying to breathe, or you see their nose flaring at their nostrils as they’re trying to breathe, or their belly is sucking way in and then pushing out, we call that belly breathing, those are indications of the infant or child struggling to breathe and having to work extra hard to move air,” Reisenauer said.

Parents should seek medical attention in those cases, he said.

Hospitalizations because of the flu have been climbing in recent years, state data shows, and vaccination rates have been declining.

About 25% of North Dakotans have had a flu vaccine this season, with those over the age of 65 the most likely to get a shot. The state vaccination rate had been above 30% as recently as the 2023-24 flu season.

But it is not too late.

Dr. Josh Honeyman, an emergency medicine physician at Essentia Health in Fargo, said people can still get the vaccine, even if they have already been sick.

While influenza A is the primary strain affecting North Dakotans so far, influenza B could pick up later in the season, Honeyman said. Someone who’s already been sick with one strain could catch the other one, he added.

But wait until you are feeling healthy again before getting a shot, Honeyman said.

Dethloff said a vaccination will cover both those strains.

While new cases may be declining, “there can be a second wave,” she said, as flu season can sometimes stretch into April or May.

COVID-19 and RSV are other respiratory diseases that are circulating, but at much lower levels than the flu.

Dethloff reminded people to stay home when they are feeling sick, to cover their cough and wash hands regularly.

North Dakota Monitor Deputy Editor Jeff Beach can be reached at jbeach@northdakotamonitor.com.