COLUMBUS — The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is reporting the state’s first flu-associated pediatric death of the 2021-22 flu season, an 8-month-old male from Ashland County. The Ashland County Health Department investigated the death.

There have been 972 flu-associated hospitalizations reported in Ohio so far this flu season compared with 108 reported during the same time period within the 2020-21 influenza season, which saw an unusually low amount of influenza compared to more typical flu seasons.

At this point in the 2019-20 flu season, there were 10,540 hospitalizations.

COVID-19 mitigation measures such as wearing face masks, staying home, hand washing, school closures, reduced travel, increased ventilation of indoor spaces, and physical distancing, likely contributed to the decline in 2020-21 flu incidence and hospitalizations.

Flu activity typically peaks between December and February. More information about flu and flu activity in Ohio is available at www.flu.ohio.gov.