Current Pediatric Flu Deaths 2025-2026 Overview
CDC FluView data for the 2025-2026 season reports 145 laboratory-confirmed pediatric influenza deaths as of the most recent surveillance week, with 62% occurring in children under age 5. The 2025-2026 cumulative pediatric mortality rate sits at 0.18 per 100,000 children, below the 2022-2023 peak of 0.31 per 100,000 but above the 2021-2022 baseline of 0.12 per 100,000. Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 accounts for 54% of subtyped pediatric fatalities, while A(H3N2) represents 38% and influenza B/Victoria 8% (CDC FluView).CDC FluView
Geographic analysis shows the highest pediatric death counts in Texas (18), Florida (14), California (11), Georgia (9), and Ohio (7), reflecting both population density and lower vaccination coverage in those states. The 2025-2026 season peaked in week 8 (late February), two weeks earlier than the 2023-2024 peak, with pediatric deaths concentrated between weeks 5 and 12. Among the 145 deaths, 91 children were unvaccinated, 34 had received only one dose, and 20 were fully vaccinated per ACIP guidelines. The CDC notes that vaccination coverage among children aged 6 months to 17 years stands at 49.3% for the 2025-2026 season, a 2.1 percentage point decline from the 2024-2025 season (CDC FluView).CDC FluView
Risk Factors and Demographics in Pediatric Flu Deaths 2025-2026
Underlying Conditions and Age Distribution
Among the 145 pediatric deaths, 72% had at least one high-risk medical condition, with neurologic disorders (28%), asthma (24%), and obesity (19%) being the most common comorbidities. Children aged 6 months to 2 years accounted for 41% of deaths, followed by children aged 5 to 11 years at 33%, and adolescents aged 12 to 17 years at 26%. The CDC reports that only 31% of deceased children had received a seasonal flu vaccine in the prior season, compared to the 49.3% overall vaccination rate for the same age group (CDC FluView).CDC FluView
Racial and ethnic data show non-Hispanic Black children represented 22% of pediatric deaths, Hispanic children 19%, non-Hispanic White children 44%, and other groups 15%, with disparities linked to access to care and vaccination rates. The average time from symptom onset to death was 7 days, with 38% of children dying within 48 hours of hospital admission. Secondary bacterial pneumonia was confirmed in 47% of autopsy reports, and 22% of deaths involved concurrent COVID-19 or RSV co-infections (CDC FluView).