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Second death related to swine flu in San Mateo County
By Shaun Bishop
Posted: 06/27/2009
A middle-aged man who died earlier this week is the second person in San Mateo County to succumb to complications from the swine flu virus, a health spokeswoman said Friday.
The man was obese and had a lung condition that likely was a factor in his death, Health System spokeswoman Doris Estremera said.
Though the man died Monday, county health officials did not receive confirmation until Wednesday that he tested positive for the H1N1 strain of the influenza virus, Estremera said.
Chief Health Officer Scott Morrow announced Monday the county's first swine flu-related death ? a middle-aged woman who had underlying heart and lung conditions and succumbed within the previous three weeks.
"This individual could easily have died if she just got seasonal flu," Morrow said.
The county will send DNA samples from the woman to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for further testing, he said.
There probably have been thousands of people in the county sickened by the swine flu virus and nearly all of the 31 confirmed cases have been mild, Morrow said.
He encouraged residents to take common-sense steps to avoid the spread of the flu ? wash hands frequently, cover the mouth to contain coughing, and stay home when feeling sick.
By Shaun Bishop
Posted: 06/27/2009
A middle-aged man who died earlier this week is the second person in San Mateo County to succumb to complications from the swine flu virus, a health spokeswoman said Friday.
The man was obese and had a lung condition that likely was a factor in his death, Health System spokeswoman Doris Estremera said.
Though the man died Monday, county health officials did not receive confirmation until Wednesday that he tested positive for the H1N1 strain of the influenza virus, Estremera said.
Chief Health Officer Scott Morrow announced Monday the county's first swine flu-related death ? a middle-aged woman who had underlying heart and lung conditions and succumbed within the previous three weeks.
"This individual could easily have died if she just got seasonal flu," Morrow said.
The county will send DNA samples from the woman to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for further testing, he said.
There probably have been thousands of people in the county sickened by the swine flu virus and nearly all of the 31 confirmed cases have been mild, Morrow said.
He encouraged residents to take common-sense steps to avoid the spread of the flu ? wash hands frequently, cover the mouth to contain coughing, and stay home when feeling sick.
