MARION, Ohio (AP) - Health officials say a 9-year-old boy from Marion is the fifth child to die after suffering flu-related illness in Ohio this month.
Relatives say his family initially thought the third-grader was suffering breathing problems related to his asthma. He was rushed to a Columbus hospital, where he died.
Ohio previously reported four flu-related child deaths in recent weeks: a 6-year-old Salem boy and a 7-year-old boy from East Liverpool, both in Columbiana County in eastern Ohio; a 7-year-old girl in Fulton County in northwest Ohio; and a 6-year-old girl in Cuyahoga (ky-uh-HOH’-guh) County.
One child died in Ohio during the previous flu season, which typically lasts from October to May. Six died during that same period between 2014 and 2015.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.