Officials: 3-year-old who died had tested positive for flu; state investigating cause

HIDALGO COUNTY, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A 3-year-old died this week of respiratory symptoms after testing positive for the flu in Hidalgo County, authorities say.

Carlos Sanchez, Hidalgo County Public Affairs Division Director, told ValleyCentral that the final determination for the cause of death would come from state health officials and could take weeks.

“She tested positive for the flu, but the way it works is any death of a child under the age of 12 has to be investigated by the state,” Sanchez said. “And the state will determine whether the flu was a contributing factor to the death or the cause of the death.”

The Health Department has submitted all documents to state health officials and is awaiting an official state pathology report confirming that the flu contributed to the child’s death, county authorities told ValleyCentral.

County health officials remind everyone to get their flu shots.