Swine Flu Killed 17K Americans: CDC

Total lower than usual, but victims skew younger
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 12, 2010 1:30 PM CST
Swine Flu Killed 17K Americans: CDC
Dr. Jeffrey Starke, Director of Infection Control at Texas Children's Hospital, answers a question about the death of a child from swine flu in this April 29, 2009 file photo.   (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

The H1N1 pandemic has been less deadly than a normal flu season, but the infection has claimed the lives of far younger victims, the CDC announced today. The outbreak killed 17,000 Americans, far less than the 36,000 who die during an average flu season. But in a normal flu season, 90% of victims are elderly. This time, the reverse was true; Between 880 and 1,800 of those killed in the outbreak were children, and up to 13,000 more were adults under the age of 65. (More H1N1 virus stories.)

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