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.

More children have died this flu season in the U.S. than in any previous flu season over the last 15 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed. The CDC reported there have been 216 pediatric deaths, eclipsing the 207 reported last year. It’s the most since the 2009-2010 H1N1 global flu pandemic.

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.