MADISON, Wis. (SPECTRUM NEWS) — Wisconsin has recorded its second child death of the flu season as influenza activity surges in the state, health officials said Thursday.

The child who died from flu is from southern Wisconsin, said Tom Haupt, influenza surveillance coordinator for the state Department of Health Services. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 78 child deaths from flu nationwide since October,

Health officials report more than 500 flu hospitalizations last week, including at least 100 hospitalizations reported Thursday morning.

Dr. Mary Beth Graham, Medical Director of Infection Prevention Control at Froedtert Hosptial, says its been an unusual flu season because of the way the two strains of the flu virus have been circulating.

‘We flipped to an influenza A prominent season 2-3 weeks ago. I think the reason we’re seeing the spikes because we’re now seeing the influenza A, it tends to be much more severe, attacks our older population.”

Dr. Graham says influenza B can be more serious in children. She also says it's not too late to get the flu shot.

"39% of Wisconsinites have been vaccinated for influenza, the healthy person 2020 goal put forth by CDC was 70% of the population should be vaccinated for influenza”