Officials report 7 more flu deaths in NC; 20 for the season

The NC Department of Health and Human Services announced Thursday that there have been seven more flu deaths, including a child.

Last Thursday, it announced the state's first child death from flu for the 2017-18 flu season.

The report issued for the week ending Dec. 30 lists seven deaths, bringing the total to 20 for this flu season. The child is the second child to die in the 2017-2018 flu season.

The state DHHS said the child was between the ages of 5 and 17. DHHS doesn't provide other identifying details about flu victims.

In addition to the two child deaths, 10 elderly people have died along with six ranging in age from 50 to 64 and two from ages 25 to 49.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nine pediatric flu deaths had been reported this season from other states as of Dec. 16.

Up to half of the children who die from flu have no known medical condition that would have put them at higher risk.

In the previous season, 219 people died in North Carolina from the flu.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.