Death of 7t h grader in Caldwell may be A/H1N1: confirmed

[Pathfinder]

Death of 7t h grader in Caldwell may be swine flu case

By Laura Ungar
September 24, 2009


State health officials confirmed they are working with health officials in that area, investigating a possible H1N1 death, which would be Kentucky?s second.

?We?re just continuing to work with health officials,? said Carrell Boyd, superintendent of schools in Caldwell County. ?This is a tragic situation involving one of our students. First and foremost, our thoughts are with the friends and relatives of this young lady.

?At this time, we do not have any confirmation as to the cause of the death. adding that he does not know if the girl had any pre-existing health conditions.

Boyd said counselors were on hand Thursday to help students cope with the death of their classmate.

He said there are no plans to close the school, which has about 500 students, and that the school system will continue its efforts to keep the schools clean and encourage infection prevention among students and staff.

Boyd said the school system has had only one confirmed case of H1N1 flu, about five weeks ago. He said he?s been in contact with health officials, but isn?t sure when he will get word on confirmation that the death is linked to H1N1.

Gwenda Bond, spokeswoman for the state Department for Public Health, said officials there are working with the Pennyrile District Health Department, which includes Caldwell County, to investigate the death.

?We do not have any confirmatory test results at this point, though,? she said, adding that she could release more information if a flu-related death is confirmed.

Judy Rousseau, health preparedness planner for the Caldwell County Health Department, said she couldn?t comment because her department doesn?t yet have results from state labs.

Kentucky?s first death from the virus commonly known as swine flu ? in Fayette County ? was announced early this month. The victim, who was not identified, was a woman in her 50s who state officials said had significant underlying health conditions.

Last week, health officials declared that flu in Kentucky was ?widespread,? the highest level. Flu in Indiana was declared ?regional? the second highest level. H1N1 flu has killed four people in Indiana.

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090924/NEWS01/909240327/1002/sports/Death-of-7t-h-grader-in-Caldwell-may-be-swine-flu-case

[Pathfinder]

Re: Death of 7t h grader in Caldwell may be swine flu case

Friday, Sep. 25,

Student's death might be linked to flu

By Jim Warren

Health authorities are trying to determine whether a Western Kentucky middle school student's death this week is related to swine flu.

The girl, a seventh-grader at Caldwell County Middle School, died Wednesday, school officials said. Her name was not released.

Kentucky's first swine flu death, involving a 50-year-old Fayette County woman, was reported earlier this month. There have been no confirmed Kentucky fatalities among children.

Allison Beshear, a spokeswoman for the Pennyrile District Health Department, said Thursday that test samples from the Caldwell County case were being sent to Frankfort for analysis by the state Department of Public Health's laboratory. It might be next week before tests can confirm H1N1.

"Until we have confirmation, we will not be able to talk more about the situation," said Beshear, whose department covers Caldwell and four neighboring counties.

Caldwell County Public Schools Superintendent Carrell Boyd issued a statement Thursday saying the district is working with health officials.

"This is a tragic situation involving one of our students," Boyd said. "First and foremost, our thoughts are with the friends and relatives of this young lady."

Officials said there is no plan to close the Caldwell middle school. The school system previously had only one confirmed case of H1N1.

The seasonal flu season hasn't begun in Kentucky, so health authorities are assuming that any cases that occur now are H1N1, also known as swine flu.

Last week, health officials declared that flu in Kentucky has become "widespread," which is the highest level of activity.

Health officials are urging the use of common-sense precautions such as staying home when you are sick and frequent hand washing. While the H1N1 virus is highly contagious, most cases have been comparable in severity to the regular seasonal flu.

Seasonal flu vaccines are now widely available, and although there have been some shortages reported, Kevin Hall, a spokesman for the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, said there is plenty available in Central Kentucky. If a physician doesn't have vaccine available in his office, he said, people should check with their local health departments or other providers, such as pharmacies.

An H1N1 vaccine is expected to be available in late October, and health departments are planning for mass inoculations. Health officials are recommending most people consider getting both shots, one for seasonal flu and one for the H1N1 virus.

http://www.kentucky.com/1046/story/949648.html

[Shiloh]

Re: Death of 7t h grader in Caldwell may be A/H1N1: confirmed

Source: http://www.timesleader.net/articles/...4ww5_news.html

State says teen death ?related? to H1N1

Times Leader Staff Report staff@timesleader.net
Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Confirmation from the Kentucky Department for Public Health that the Sept. 23 death of local teen Gabrielle Wilson was related to H1N1 influenza does not provide a final answer to the question of what caused Wilson?s demise.

On Monday, state health officials announced that the death of Wilson, a seventh-grader at Caldwell County Middle School, as well as a Christian County woman in her 20s were related to H1N1 (swine flu).

Wilson, who died on the afternoon of Sept. 23 at the Crittenden County Hospital, had no known health issues.

Any assumption that H1N1 was the cause of her death, though, would be inappropriate, those investigating the case said this week.

Crittenden County Coroner Joe Myers, whose office is investigating the death, said Tuesday that the autopsy investigation, by the coroner?s office and the state medical examiner?s office in Madisonville, had not been completed and would not be done for about two weeks.

Until then, ?we just don?t know,? he said.

Myers took issue with the health department?s announcement Monday, calling it poor timing on the part of the state.

?It was a premature news release that should have been issued at the time of the medical examiner?s official report, and then we would have all the facts.?

Myers said he had spoken to members of Wilson?s family and said the early announcement gave them no comfort and ?no satisfaction as to knowing what the end result will be.?

Officials with the state health department said Tuesday that Monday?s announcement was not intended to imply Wilson?s death was caused by H1N1.

?For the public health investigation, we were only looking into whether this patient had H1N1 influenza, which we were able to determine based on testing done by the State Public Health Laboratory,? said Gwenda Bond, assistant communications director for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

?That means that this is considered an H1N1-related or H1N1-associated death for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention?s (CDC) tracking purposes, and that?s what we reported.

?It is not meant to be a cause of death,? she said. ?That would definitely come from the autopsy and coroner.?

Myers said his office would issue a statement once an official cause of death had been determined.

He encouraged the public to continue to take regular precautions against the flu and other seasonal illnesses.

?Our main concern is not to have people panic,? he said.