COWETA COUNTY, Ga. — The Coweta County coroner said the cause of death of a 15-year-old girl was flu.
The girl, Kira Molina, was a student at Newnan High School, coroner Richard Hawk said.
Channel 2's Tom Regan was at a news conference Wednesday, where he learned that the girl had liver failure, which led to her death.
The number of flu-related deaths in Georgia is up to 37, as health officials say the state is seeing widespread flu activity.
The coroner said Molina developed flu symptoms last week, but first tested negative for the flu.
"Her parents took her to a clinic where she was tested for the flu and was found to be negative," Hawk said.
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He said Molina's parents found her unresponsive on Sunday. She was taken to Piedmont Union Hospital and then flown to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, but her condition did not improve.
She died on Tuesday.
"It's such a tragic death. I encourage other people to go get your flu shots," Hawk said.
The Coweta County school district said it's sad for Molina's family. The district said the number of students absent with flu symptoms this month was 467, which is four times as many students as were absent this time last year.
Teachers and nurses advise everyone to take precautions.
"We keep our hands washed and cover our mouth and nose if we sneeze because it's going around bad down here," student Rodney Boozer said.
Hawk said it is not too late to get a flu shot.
Cox Media Group
