Texas teen dies from complication from the flu

DALLAS, Texas – A teenager in Dallas, Texas has died from flu complications, adding to the growing number of flu-related deaths this season.

She was a student at Bishop Lynch High School, a dancer, daughter and friend. Now, 16-year-old Reese Termulo is among the latest people in Dallas County to die from complications from the flu.

Termulo spent her summers dancing at Motion, the studio in Carrollton. Carolyn Lang was her teacher there. She said, “You kind of had to take a step back and like, ‘Am I really hearing what I’m hearing about someone who is so young?”

This year, for the first time in nearly three decades, doctors say influenza B—the hardest on children—is the predominant strain.

The CDC recommends getting the flu vaccine every fall since the season usually runs from October to May. This year, the season started early, especially in the south.

Dr. Leron Finger with Children’s Hospital New Orleans said, “We started seeing cases of the flu, the flu vaccine for this year was not yet even commercially available.”

It’s unclear if Termulo had a flu shot.

Lang said the illness quickly took a turn for the worse before Termulo died on Friday.

“Just to hug your loved ones ‘cause every day you have with them is a gift and she was definitely a gift even though she was only here 16 years,” Lang said.

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