CDC reports 216 child deaths this flu season, the most in 15 years

More U.S. children have died this flu season than at any time since the swine flu pandemic 15 years ago, according to a federal report released Friday.

The 216 pediatric deaths reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eclipse the 207 reported last year. It's the most since the 2009-2010 H1N1 global flu pandemic.

The CDC estimated overall at least 47 million illnesses, 610,000 hospitalizations and 26,000 deaths from flu so far this season.