Updated at 2:08 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026.
A fifth Colorado child has died from influenza this viral respiratory season, the most in the last six years.
A spokesperson with the state health department said the child was younger than 5 and from outside the Denver area.
“Any loss of a child is a heartbreak that resonates far beyond the data we collect and track. As we navigate an influenza season that has been more active than what we’ve experienced in recent years, we are seeing the heavy toll this virus can take,” said Dr. Rachel Herlihy, Deputy Chief Medical Officer and state epidemiologist.
“While flu activity varies from year to year, this serves as a tragic reminder that influenza is not just a routine illness — it is a serious disease. This season’s impact underscores the unpredictability of the virus and the vital importance of taking every possible step to protect the health of our children and our communities.”
Another Colorado physician echoed those comments.
“I think there's a common misconception that the flu or RSV or other respiratory viruses can't actually harm someone, especially harm children,” but they can, said Dr. Michelle Barron, senior medical director of infection prevention and control for UCHealth. “And I think it's important to get vaccinated. Flu is still circulating.”
The virus, which is tracked on the state’s viral respiratory dashboard, is preventable with a vaccine. The state has a website with information about where to get one that’s free or low-cost.
Three out of five of Colorado's pediatric deaths have been in children younger than 5. Colorado saw a record number of flu hospitalizations — 857 people — around Christmas. The rising number of pediatric flu deaths comes during a particularly bad flu season, both in Colorado and nationally.
Nationally, this season, the CDC reports it has recorded 71 pediatric deaths associated with flu. It says about 90 percent of reported pediatric deaths this season have occurred in children who were not fully vaccinated against the virus.
During the H1N1 pandemic in 2009-10, Colorado had 13 pediatric flu deaths. That is the highest number since the state began tracking pediatric influenza deaths in 2004, according to a state health department spokesperson. There were six pediatric influenza deaths in 2014-15.
Earlier this month, the Colorado Department of Public Health reported the state’s fourth pediatric flu death —a child younger than 5, from outside the Denver area.
In January, it reported a child younger than 5, from outside the Denver area, had died. It was the third of this viral respiratory season.
Earlier that month, it reported a second Colorado child had died of flu this season; that case was in a high school-aged child from outside Denver.
In mid-December, the state recorded the season’s first influenza-associated pediatric death. That child was elementary school-aged and from metro Denver.
Last month, the state reported its first COVID-19 death of the season, a child — the fatality was a high school-aged child in the Denver area. The death happened in December and was recorded on the state’s viral respiratory diseases dashboard as the first since Oct. 1, 2025.
About a third of Coloradans 6 months to 9 years are vaccinated
Vaccination rates for influenza in Colorado continue to be relatively low, with about a third of the state’s population getting immunized against it.
Among all Coloradans, just 30.3 percent have gotten a flu shot this season. That’s a bit lower than last year, according to the state health department. The figures are even lower in rural counties. Seven counties on the Eastern Plains and Western Slope have flu immunization rates below 20 percent. Only a few urban counties, like Boulder, Jefferson, Douglas, Arapahoe and Denver, have flu vaccination rates above 30 percent.
The rates are similar for Colorado's youngest children.
For children 6 months to 9 years old, the flu vaccination rate is 34.4 percent.
That seems to be far below national numbers, according to the CDC. It reports half of all children aged 6 months to 17 years old are vaccinated for flu, as of the start of 2026.
For older children, those 10-19 years old, Colorado’s rate is lower, at 23.4 percent, which also appears to be far below the national number.
The oldest Coloradans are the only demographic in which a majority have gotten immunized. For those 65 and older, the rate is 52.2 percent.
The group with the lowest vaccination rate is young adults. The rate for those who are 20-29 years old is about 16 percent.
Editor's note: This article was updated with an additional statement from a health care professional.
