Dr. Scott Harris with the Alabama Department of Public Health acknowledges each death is a case-by-case basis, but he does see a correlation between the increase in deaths and a decrease in vaccinations.

Since flu season is still ongoing, data is preliminary and may change, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Experts say it will likely increase.

Twelve more US children have died of influenza, surpassing the previous high for a flu season outside of a pandemic year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in its weekly update today.