One More Child Dies From The Flu

After being hospitalized for several days, an 11-year-old boy died last Saturday in New York State from complications related to the influenza virus.

Luca Calanni became ill early last week, requiring up to three visits to Oishei Children's Hospital in Buffalo. Everything seemed to improve after being admitted to the center, until the virus attacked his heart and stopped breathing, People reported.

The boy's mother, Ashley Calanni, said her son was vaccinated against the flu and that his family did everything they could to help him.

Erie County Health Commissioner Gale Burstein stressed the importance of parents taking precautionary measures to avoid further fatal losses.

"If a child has difficulty breathing, is coughing severely, breathes very fast, has blue lips, cannot drink liquids, does not urinate, is weak, pale or mottled, the child should be taken to a pediatrician or to the hospital," he advised. Burstein, according to local media.

Luca's death adds to the cases of other young people in the United States who have lost their lives for reasons related to the flu. Among them Lilly Clark, 13, in Idaho; Kaylee Roberts, 16, in Ohio; Ashanti Grinage, 4; Teresa Termulo, 16, and Jaxon Campbell, 10. The last three occurred in Texas, where so far 8 children have died since the flu season began last September.