Death of boy, 12, tied to flu

First child fatality resulting from it in state this winter

A 12-year-old Boston Latin Academy student died over the weekend from complications of the flu, Boston school and public health officials confirmed yesterday, one of only a handful of deaths nationwide so far this flu season.

Hunter Pope was a seventh-grader at the school, according to a statement from the city's school system. He is the first Massachusetts child known to have died of the flu this winter.

Dr. Anita Barry, director of the infectious disease bureau for the Boston Public Health Commission, said yesterday that the boy's death is still being investigated, but there was no evidence he had serious health conditions or was suffering from another infection that would heighten his risk.

Last winter four children in Massachusetts died of the flu, including two who had simultaneous infections with methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, a bacterial infection to which people are more vulnerable when they have the flu. MRSA can be lethal because many antibiotics are powerless against it.

Health officials also did not know yet whether Pope had been vaccinated against the flu.

This was the first flu season for which the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that all children over 6 months old get flu shots.

"It's tragic when a child dies, but to put it in context, it's not a frequent event," said Dr. Alfred DeMaria, director of Communicable Disease Control at the state Department of Public Health. "It's not something that we see a lot of cases - one to two a year."

The boy's death adds to this season's nationwide child flu death toll that, as of Feb. 7, stood at four. No more recent statistics were available yesterday.

"We are extremely saddened by this news," School Superintendent Carol R. Johnson said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the Pope family, and with the entire Boston Latin Academy community, during this difficult time."

A letter is being sent home to families of Boston Latin Academy students, expressing sorrow and urging parents to get flu shots for their children.

When classes resume Monday after this week's vacation, counselors will be available for students and staff.

State and national disease trackers began counting flu deaths in children after 153 children died in the 2003-2004 flu season. Since then, one child in Massachusetts died in 2005-2006, one child who was not a resident died here in 2006-2007, and four children in the state died last winter.

Across the country, 83 children died from flu last winter, according to the CDC.

Flu season, which can stretch into April, is climbing toward its peak statewide, with 1,229 cases reported for the week ending Feb. 7, up from 725 the week before.

Health specialists say that hand-washing, covering up when one coughs, and staying home with the flu can help reduce spread of the illness.

Barry of the Boston Public Health Commission recommended calling a healthcare provider if a person has the following symptoms: breathing problems; difficulty keeping fluids down; a fever that will not come down after taking drugs such as acetaminophen; appearing to get better only to see a fever go up again, which might indicate a secondary infection such as pneumonia; a change in mental status; and underlying conditions such as heart problems, or lung conditions illnesses, including asthma.

"People should take care not to transmit it if they have it, and not to get it if they can avoid it," DeMaria said.

Elizabeth Cooney can be reached at lizcooney@gmail.com.