Florida health officials say a child is the first to die during this year's flu season.

The Florida Department of Health's Bureau of Epidemiology said in a report the unidentified child tested positive for influenza B and died between September 30 and October 6.

The report did not say where the child died but did say the child was otherwise healthy. The child had not been vaccinated.

An unnamed child tested positive for influenza B died the first week of October (stock photo)

Vaccinations have been shown to reduce a child's likelihood of dying from the flu by 60 per cent, health department officials said.

Vaccines are recommended for anyone at least six months old.

In the first week of the flu season, the state had only two flu or flu-like outbreaks. One was an unspecific strain and the other was strep throat.

Last year, flu season was the worst since records began in the 70s killing 80,000

The Tampa Bay Times reports both strains hit schools in Hillsborough County.

The state defines an 'outbreak' in a school as 'three or more epidemiologically linked cases' of flu or a flu-like disease.

State officials said those outbreaks did not cause the child's death. No other details were released.

An estimated 80,000 Americans died of flu and its complications last winter - the disease's highest death toll in at least four decades. Approximately 80 per cent of those who died were not vaccinated.

Vaccination rates dropped last year, particularly among children, and health officials are urging Americans not to get complacent.

Last year's flu season was the worst since records began in the 1970s.

There is no evidence to support fears that the vaccine could be harmful.