Third and fourth Utah deaths confirmed

[Chuck]

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_12590187

Two adults succumb to deadly flu virus
H1N1 flu ? Death count from illness rises to four in Utah

By Brooke Adams And Lindsay Whitehurst

The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 06/14/2009 06:11:33 PM MDT

Two Utahns died of the H1N1 swine flu recently, health officials confirmed Sunday, bringing the number of deaths in the state from the illness to four.

Utah is the only state in the Intermountain region with flu-attributed deaths; it has more confirmed cases of the H1N1 than any of its neighboring states, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The new cases involved Salt Lake County residents between the ages of 25 and 50, said Pam Davenport, a spokeswoman for the Salt Lake County Valley Health Department. One died Friday and the other, a woman, died Saturday. Davenport said one of the adults had underlying health problems.

Cyndi Bemis, a spokeswoman for the Utah Department of Health, confirmed the adult who died Saturday was a woman but said she did not know if underlying health problems were a factor.

A family member quoted by KSL-TV identified the woman as Francine Rushton, 47, and said she contracted the flu about two weeks ago but was initially told it was not the H1N1 type.

There have been 688 confirmed cases of the flu in Utah to date. It causes mild symptoms in most people; a majority of those diagnosed have been between the ages of 5 and 24.

As of Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tallied 17,855 confirmed cases and 45 deaths from H1N1 in the U.S.

Confirmed cases in neighboring states stand at 597 in Arizona, where five deaths have occurred; Nevada
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at 162; New Mexico at 155; Colorado at 75; and Idaho, 29.

The first two Utahns who died from the flu both had health problems. One was a child between the ages of 5 and 18, the other was a 21-year-old man.

[Shiloh]

Re: Third and fourth Utah deaths confirmed

Source: http://www.fox13now.com/news/seenont...,4652489.story

Flu Victim Family's Statement

Staff Writer

7:40 PM MDT, June 14, 2009
Our family would like to express thanks to the Shock and Trauma unit at IMCH. And to those who have prayed and supported our family over the past 2 weeks.

Francine and her mother became ill with the flu two weeks ago today. Her mother tested positive and was treated for the flu and has since recovered. Francine tested negative and was sent home. Her health continued to decline, and three days later she was taken to Jordan Valley Hospital. For the second time she tested negative, was sent home, and told to increase fluids and rest.

We begged the doctors to treat her with Tama flu because it had helped her mother, but they refused because her test had come back negative. After another three days she became incapacitated, and was again taken to Jordan Valley where she was admitted and found to have pneumonia, plus all of the symptoms associated with the flu, but once again tested negative. At this point she had had the flu for approximately eight days, untreated. Her condition continued to decline, and on Tuesday was transferred to IMC Hospital. By this time her body was so ravaged from the virus that her kidneys and lungs started to fail and brain activity had diminished. On Wednesday, June 10 we received a positive Type-A flu test, and on Thursday we received, from the CDC, a positive test for H1N1, Swine Flu.

After fighting a valiant battle she succumbed to this illness. It has been reported that she had underlying illnesses that contributed to her death, but according to her doctors she died from lung damage, kidney failure, and brain damage which were all strong and healthy prior to contracting the virus.

[appleblossom]

Re: Third and fourth Utah deaths confirmed

More info on the other death:


Salt Lake County Woman Says H1N1 Led to her Husband's Death

Last Update: 6/15 10:49 pm

H1N1 Victim's Widow Talks

Karee Dunford said her husband and love of 17 years, Doug Dunford, died on Friday due to complications from the H1N1 virus. "It happened extremely fast," said Karee. She said Doug recently returned home from one hospital after treatment of a Liver condition and he was fine. Soon after, he started coughing. The cough became so serious she said, he couldn't sleep or breathe. "He was trying to sleep and he was gurgling and he turned a grey color. That's when I knew we had to take him to the E.R."

Karee said Doug was flown from one emergency room to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, where he was given oxygen to help him breathe. A test confirmed he had the H1N1 virus. Karee said Doug was given an anti-viral medication and put on a ventilator. He died one week after he was admitted. "He was a good guy with the biggest heart," Dunford said of her husband. "I didn't think it would hit somebody so young, so fast."

Most of the 90 Utahns who've been hospitalized because of H1N1 have been young. Out of the 90, only 18 have been either under age 5 or over age 65. Why the virus has hit Utah so hard is not known, although one reason might be the state's young population.

Dr. Robert Rolfs, State Epidemiologist, said so far, most of the 700 people who've been diagnosed with the virus, have recovered. The illness has not become more deadly, just more prevalent. "I expect this outbreak in Utah will continue for a while. I'm hopeful it's nearing the peak, but we really won't know until we start seeing the numbers go down." Rolfs said at this point he would recommend that anybody who has the symptoms, like high fever, persistent cough and sore throat, be given an anti viral medication as they likely have H1N1. The exception would be if the person has some other known condition like pneumonia. Still, Rolfs says no two cases are exactly the same and it's ultimately up to doctors to decide how to treat individual patients. He added that Tamiflu and the other common anti-viral are not cure-alls. "We can't always provide perfect care. Even when we do, things don't always go perfectly," he said. Rolfs said as children often spread disease, he hopes that summer break will lead to fewer cases.

Karee Dunford said she and Doug moved to Utah three years ago "Because he said 'The snow was the best on earth." Karee said Doug did a lot of skiing at Alta, but had many more dreams to fulfill. Karee said for her, the severe cough was the red flag that something was very wrong. She encouraged others who are sick or have loved ones who are sick, to watch for a severe cough as a sign that they should get help.


http://www.kutv.com/content/news/local/story/Salt-Lake-County-Woman-Says-H1N1-Led-to-her/fKng2p0cT0-odl3WBD534Q.cspx?rss=991

[Chuck]

Re: Third and fourth Utah deaths confirmed

http://saltlakecity.injuryboard.com/medical-malpractice/recent-utah-swine-flu-death-may-have-been-preventable.aspx?googleid=265612

Recent Utah Swine Flu Death May Have Been Preventable

Bret Hanna
Attorney
(877) 245-6841 Ext 421
Posted by Bret Hanna
June 24, 2009 8:34 PM


Francine Rushton, 47, lost her life to the H1N1 swine flu on June 13th, and her death may very well have been preventable. Prior to her death, Rushton had twice visited the Jordan Valley Medical Center and both times she received a rapid diagnostic test to determine if she had swine flu. Both tests came back negative.

The rapid diagnostic tests, however, have a very high false negative result rate. But since she did not test positive, she did not qualify to receive Tamiflu treatment under state and federal guidelines, despite the high false negative rates and even though she had flu like symptoms and she lived with her mother who had tested positive for swine flu.

Rushton's mother tested positive for swine flu on May 30th. Within 24 hours, Rushton was exhibiting the same symptoms so she went for her first test on May 31st. She was not getting better so she returned for her second test three days later. According to Rushton's brother, Craig Whitehead, family members begged for Tamiflu therapy despite the results of the second test because of Rushton's symptoms and because the therapy helped Rushton's mother. Doctors at the hospital refused and sent Rushton on her way.

Another three days passed and Rushton's health continued to decline. She returned to Jordan Valley and although she tested negative a third time for swine flu, doctors admitted her to the hospital. On June 9th, Rushton was transferred to Intermountain Medical Center (IMC) in critical condition. There she was tested for swine flu yet again and this time, the result was positive. But despite the heroic efforts of those at IMC, treatment at that point could not save Rushton.

The rapid flu antigen tests have an accuracy rate of between 50 and 70 percent as opposed to the laboratory completed virus tests. The low accuracy rate is one reason that some suggest doctors should not rely on the antigen tests alone when deciding whether to treat patients as if they have swine flu. Dr. Robert Rolfs, Utah state epidemiologist, has indicated that since the swine flu is now so prevalent in the state, anyone who exhibits flu like symptoms (sore throat, cough, fever), should be presumed to have swine flu until there is concrete evidence to the contrary. Had such a course been followed by doctors treating Francine Rushton, she may very well still be alive.