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This year's flu season is already the most widespread on record since health officials began keeping track 13 years ago, and has already caused the deaths of more children than what normally would be expected at this time of the year, federal health officials have said. During the second week of January, more people sought care for flulike illnesses than at any comparable period in nearly a decade, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's most recent weekly report shows. (Sun, 1/25)

The CDC has reported "widespread" flu activity in the entire continental U.S. this year, and added that there are more serious cases of flu than usual due to H3N2, this year's main flu strain. (Kennedy, 1/25)

Like many flu-related illnesses, Dylan Winnik's started with a cold — and escalated rapidly. He had it for a couple of days. By Monday, he was feverish. By Tuesday, his temperature had gone back to normal, but he died that day. The 12-year-old Florida boy became the latest casualty of an intense flu season that has so far resulted in thousands of hospitalizations and deaths of 2½ dozen children nationwide. (Phillips, 1/25)

Thirteen people already have died from influenza-related illness in New Hampshire, and there are still many weeks to go in the flu season, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. New Hampshire is one of 49 states reporting “widespread” flu activity; only Hawaii and Washington, D.C. have been spared, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This year’s flu season is already the most widespread on record since federal health officials began keeping track 13 years ago. (1/25)