First death of flu season confirmed as authorities call on parents to give kids flu shot

NSW health authorities are urging parents to get their kids vaccinated with the free flu shot after a child died from influenza.

The child was one of 19 admitted to Sydney's children's hospital between April 3 and July 8 with the flu, with only two of those infants fully vaccinated.

It was the first death of a child for the 2018 flu season, NSW Health said.

The child's age isn't known.

"This is an important reminder to parents who have not yet vaccinated their children that influenza can be life-threatening and it's not too late to vaccinate," Dr Kerry Chant, NSW Chief Health Officer, said in a statement on Friday.

News of the death comes as the authority predicts a slow start to this year's flu season in NSW, with 256 cases confirmed in the week ending July 8, compared with 6449 cases in the equivalent week in 2017.