Michigan health officials Friday confirmed the state’s first two flu-associated children’s deaths for the 2024-2025 flu season.

They said the deaths involved children in Wayne and Genesee counties who contracted seasonal Influenza A, or H1N1.

“We are heartbroken for the families who have experienced this loss,” Natasha Bagdasarian, the state’s chief medical executive, said in a statement.

At least 57 children across the country have died from the virus this flu season, officials said. Last season, influenza claimed the lives of nearly 200 children in the United States.

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services officials said they are investigating several other possible deaths from influenza in children.

They urge Michiganians aged six months and older to get vaccinated against the flu.

“Influenza rates are currently very high, and if you did not receive a flu vaccine last fall, it is not too late to get one,” Bagdasarian said. “It can still prevent the severe complications of influenza, including hospitalization and death.”

The health department urges anyone who gets sick during the flu season to get a COVID-19 test.

“We have antiviral medications that are effective against both viruses,” the chief medical executive said. “Talk to your health care provider to find out more.”

Both Wayne County and Genesee County health officials echoed her recommendation.

“Flu kills and this is a tragic reminder,” Abdul El-Sayed, Wayne County’s Health Director and Director of its Health, Human and Veterans Services Department, said in a statement. “But we have life-saving vaccines. And the best way to protect your kids is by getting them and ourselves vaccinated.”

Michela Corsi, Genesee County Health Department’s medical director, agreed.

“This loss is a somber reminder of the serious impact flu can have, especially on vulnerable groups such as young children and older adults,” she said. “Vaccination remains the most effective way to reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and complications from the flu.

In Michigan’s 2023-2024 flu season, eight pediatric flu deaths were reported, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. That compares with five in the 2022-2023 season and one in the 2021-2022 season, it said.

One local hospital system, Henry Ford Health, reported its flu positivity rate had more than doubled in the last month.

“We have seen a rise in flu cases since late December,” a Henry Ford spokeswoman said. “Currently, our flu positivity rate is more than 30%. That is more than double what we were seeing about a month ago.”