By Matthew Hersh
The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) is reporting the state’s first confirmed pediatric flu death of the 2025-2026 season as flu cases continue to rise throughout New Jersey and local, county, and state health officials remind residents to take precautions to avoid illness.
While the number of cases, emergency room visits, outpatient visits, and test positivity are not at the levels they were this time last year, wastewater activity levels continue to rise and ER visits resulting in admissions rose, particularly among patients aged 65 and up. Wastewater surveillance is used to monitor flu activity by detecting viral genetic material shed by infected individuals and animals into sewage systems.
Increased flu levels arrive as NJDOH announced the first flu-related death in New Jersey this season. Health department officials announced last week that the child, who was from the northern part of the state, was younger than 5 years old and had no underlying health conditions.
“This flu season is already shaping up to be a very serious one, with more cases than previous years and, tragically, one child’s death this week. We extend our deepest condolences to the child’s family,” said Acting Health Commissioner Jeff Brown. “By getting vaccinated, we can each do our part in reducing the spread of flu and other respiratory viruses in New Jersey and helping prevent serious complications.”
State officials have not confirmed the identity of the child, although the child was reportedly from Morris County. New Jersey has seen a surge of influenza cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which places the state in the top 20 states with the highest flu rate. Dominating this year’s flu season is influenza A, the H3N2 strain, which began to spread more rapidly following the Thanksgiving holiday and continued throughout the holiday season.
The number of people sick with influenza and the number of those who are sick enough to visit doctors, emergency departments, and be admitted to a hospital all remain very elevated, according to NJDOH.
The best response to an oncoming flu season? Get a flu shot, said Princeton Health Officer Jeffrey Grosser. Flu vaccination prevents millions of illnesses and flu-related health care provider visits each year and remains the most effective protection against the transmission of influenza, he said.
While the federal Health and Human Services Department’s recent announcement on vaccine schedules “continues to sow confusion among patients and providers alike,” Brown said New Jersey is “taking action to provide equitable access to vaccines, achieve community protection, and build sustained trust in vaccination.”
NJDOH and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend flu vaccination for everyone ages 6 months and older. Certain people are at greater risk for serious complications from the flu, including children younger than 5 years, but especially children younger than 2 years; people 65 years and older; those who are pregnant or have given birth in the last two weeks; and people who have medical conditions such as asthma, heart disease, and diabetes.
In New Jersey, vaccines remain covered by insurance and available through the Vaccines for Children program. In addition to immunization, the NJDOH urged residents to take other steps to protect themselves, family, and coworkers from the flu and other respiratory illnesses. Washing hands frequently, covering coughs and sneezes, avoiding close contact with sick people, masking in crowded indoor settings, and staying home when sick can help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses.