The flu contributed to the death of another child last week, further highlighting the severity of what is shaping up to be the worst influenza epidemic since the pandemic year of 2009.

According to the latest weekly report from the county Health and Human Services Agency, a 10-year-old boy from East County with other unspecified health problems died on Jan. 25. He was the second child to fall victim to the flu this year. The first was a one-year-old, also with significant contributing medical issues, who died on Dec. 31.