[Cabrera:] The influenza virus is on the rise this season. The flu is on the rise. The Centers for Disease Control is now reporting that the number of states with high levels of flu activity have doubled in just the past week. CNN senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen spoke with the mother of one of the 13 children who have died from the flu so far this season.
[Unidentified Male:] Say hi [inaudible].
[Unidentified Female:] Hi.
[Elizabeth Cohen, Cnn Senior Medical Correspondent:] Allison Eaglespeaker, 6 years-old, loved her big brother Matt and little sister Daisy and Native-American dancing.
[Crystal White Shield, Allison's Mother:] She was a beautiful little girl. We were blessed with her life and we miss her dearly.
[Cohen:] Allison who lived in Montana died on December 1st from the flu. New numbers out from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Friday showed that the situation is getting worse. Nineteen states are showing high levels of flu activity compared with nine states last week and 13 children have died from the flu this season. Children are particularly vulnerable to h1n1, this year's predominant flu strain. Allison's mother wants other parents to be watchful when their children have the flu. Allison died less than 48 hours after first becoming ill.
[Shield:] This illness hit her really hard and really fast for it to just take her life. Nothing prepares you for how fast it moves.
[Cohen:] While Allison had mild asthma, about half of children who die from the flu are otherwise healthy according to the CDC, mand 80 percent of the children who died last year had not received a flu shot. With months of flu season still to go, it's not too late for children or adults to get vaccinated. [on camera]: No one knows why the vast majority of children recover relatively easily from the flu but a relatively small number get very sick, gravely sick like Allison did. But they do know that when they do get sick it happens very quickly just like in Allison's case. Ana?