Public Health has learned that two children in King County have died from complications of the flu. The first child was an elementary-age child who passed away on February 14, 2025. The second was a preschool-age child who passed away on February 21, 2025. These two unconnected cases are the first two recorded pediatric flu deaths this season in King County. King County has not had a pediatric flu death since the 2022-2023 flu season.
We’ve seen an increasing number of visits to local emergency rooms for cases of influenza (flu), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19 in King County. Now’s the time to take easy steps to help prevent you and your family from getting sick.
Last fall we saw many respiratory virus infections and hospitalizations, including SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and influenza virus (flu). This fall, we want to look at what to expect when it comes to respiratory viruses and some prevention steps you can take.
We’ve been hearing talk of a potential triple threat of viruses or a “tri-demic” this winter – a rise in multiple types of respiratory viruses. We sat down with Dr. Eric Chow, who leads our Communicable Disease and Epidemiology Section, to learn more about what’s happening and what we can do to stay safer.