BY THADEAN THOMAS
In a March 7 announcement, the Prince George’s County Public Schools Superintendent Millard House II confirmed the deaths of two students from the flu. The two students attended different schools, with one from CMIT North Elementary School in Laurel.
PGCPS reports a concerning rise in flu cases throughout the county, mirroring national trends. During this year’s peak, there has been a significant increase in influenza-associated hospitalizations, nearly double the number from last year. Additionally, this spike occurred later in the season compared to the previous two years.
Although the peak has passed, medical visits, hospitalizations and deaths “remain elevated” and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expects several more weeks of flu activity. The CDC has also nationally classified this flu season as a ‘high severity’ season, the first since the 2017-2018 season.
This year, two strains of the influenza virus are circulating: flu A and flu B. While flu A, the more severe strain, is currently dominant, flu B typically only infects humans and is believed to have milder symptoms. In contrast, flu A has been known to cause pandemics, including the 1918 flu pandemic
According to Maryland.gov, Prince George’s county has the ninth lowest vaccinated population in Maryland for the 2024-2025 year. The superintendent is working to address this by having schools with high case numbers partner with the county’s health department to provide on-site flu vaccination clinics. There are also additional flu clinic options listed here.
Superintendent House also listed additional measures the county is implementing to “slow the spread” like enhanced cleaning of high contact areas, increased handwashing and hygiene, and temporary masking at schools with high cases of flu. Other actions being taken include:
- Limiting exposure by keeping students in consistent groups
- Modifying high-contact extracurricular activities
- Encouraging parents to keep their sick children at home
As of March 17, the CDC lists Maryland as having a “moderate level” of respiratory illness and predicts the number of illnesses is “likely declining.”
They also reported 207 influenza-related pediatric deaths in the 2023-2024 flu season, compared to a decrease of 134 in the 2024-2025 flu season.
