Child death from flu reported in Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohio health authorities say a child has died from flu complications as the state's flu-associated hospitalizations climb.

Health Department spokeswoman Tessie Pollock says the department won't release other information about the child. It's the first confirmed flu-related child death in the state in the current influenza season.

There have also been reports of a handful of adult deaths linked to the flu, but the state department doesn't tally adult deaths because there are often underlying health conditions involved.

There were no child deaths recorded during last year's flu season, and only one the prior season.

Flu-associated hospitalizations are running at a rate of about 10 times more than the last two seasons. There have been nearly 2,000 since October in Ohio, among many places in the country being hit hard.