Australia - Boy, 3, dies after getting swine flu

[Gert van der Hoek]

Boy, 3, dies after getting swine flu


Australia's tally from swine flu-related deaths is now nine.


He is the first child and ninth person with the virus to die in Australia.

Victoria's Department of Human Services says the death is being actively investigated by the coroner and police.

Earlier, the department said a 68-year-old Victorian man with swine flu had died.

The department was informed of the man's death yesterday afternoon.

Victoria's acting chief health officer, Dr Rosemary Lester, said the man had been receiving treatment for cancer.

"The man was being treated for a life-threatening cancer and was later diagnosed. He died while receiving treatment in hospital," she said in a statement.

"Our sympathies are with the family."

Dr Lester said the man's family had requested that no further details of his medical history be released.

Seven Victorians and two Western Australians have died with the virus.

Dr Lester reiterated advice that swine flu "is a mild illness, which many people recover from without any medical treatment".

But she added: "However, we know that for people with chronic medical conditions, influenza can be severe."

She said people who are at high risk - due to conditions such as pregnancy, respiratory disease, heart disease, diabetes, renal disease, obesity and immunosuppression - should see their doctor if they develop symptoms.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/01/2614158.htm

[Shiloh]

Re: Australia - Boy, 3, dies after getting swine flu

Source: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/nati...0702-d5d4.html

Inquiry into death of boy who had flu
Nick Miller and Julia Medew
July 2, 2009

THE coroner is investigating the death of a three-year-old Victorian boy last week who has tested positive for swine flu.

It is not yet known if the virus caused the toddler's death.

The boy was reportedly found dead by his mother in their Melbourne house on the morning of June 26.

Detectives were called and they briefed the coroner. Police said yesterday the death was not suspicious.

A Department of Human Services spokesman said he could not comment on the circumstances of the death or whether the child had a pre-existing illness. But "a death in a child in itself is not unexpected".

"Children do die of flu, unfortunately. It's not unusual for very young people because they are vulnerable," he said.

Seven of Australia's eight swine flu-related deaths have been in Victoria, which has recorded nearly 40 per cent of the country's 4370 A(H1N1) cases.

Most of the victims have been much older, with pre-existing problems such as cancer, whereas young people have been among the first victims of the disease overseas.

The spokesman said that as of last night, there was no indication the swine flu virus had mutated or changed in any way to become more severe or resistant to antiviral medication.

"Our sympathies are with the family and we will respect their request not to release further details of his medical history," said Victoria's Deputy Chief Health Officer, Dr Rosemary Lester.

"At this stage it is inappropriate to provide any further information as the coroner's investigations are continuing."

She encouraged parents to monitor their children's health but said it was important to remember that swine flu was a mild illness in most cases.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

[kiwibird]

Re: Australia - Boy, 3, dies after getting swine flu

Health minister reassures parents over swine flu

The Minister says most children only get a mild case of swine flu. (ABC News)


The Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon has reassured parents that swine flu does not pose a greater danger to children than seasonal flu.

The death of a three-year-old Victorian boy almost a week ago was made public yesterday.

The circumstances of the boy's death are unclear, but health authorities say he had been diagnosed with swine flu.

Ms Roxon says she can not comment further, as police are preparing a report for the coroner.

She says the virus remains mild but parents should monitor their children's health.

"Most people, including children, will experience very mild symptoms and recover without any medical intervention," she said.

"Of course parents should be on the look out for any serious symptoms particularly any indications the child might be having difficulty with their respiratory system, difficulty breathing, to make sure that they do seek medical advice."

Victoria Police said the child's death is not suspicious but they are preparing a report for the coroner as they do with all deaths.

In total there have been 10 swine flu deaths in Australia: seven were in Victoria, one in South Australia, one in Western Australia and one in New South Wales.

Nationally, there are 4568 confirmed cases of swine flu.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/02/2614972.htm

[german-docter]

Re: Australia - Boy, 3, dies after getting swine flu

Source: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/nati...0702-d5d4.html
(...)
THE coroner is investigating the death of a three-year-old Victorian boy (...)
last week who has tested positive for swine flu.
(...) But "a death in a child in itself is not unexpected".
"Children do die of flu, unfortunately. It's not unusual for very young people because they are vulnerable," he said. (...)
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

Health minister reassures parents over swine flu.
The Minister says most children only get a mild case of swine flu. (ABC News)
(...) The death of a three-year-old Victorian boy almost a week ago was made public yesterday.(...) had been diagnosed with swine flu.
(...)
Victoria Police said the child's death is not suspicious but they are preparing a report for the coroner as they do with all deaths.(...)
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...02/2614972.htm

I'm shocked. What are these words of ?
To me every child's death IS unusual. How could there be any fellow human being, to whom a child' s death isn't heartbreaking ?

In euphemistic speech swine flu more or less can be named as "mild" in those, who remained to be survivors. But death in all these children around the world is anything but "not unusual" or "not suspicious". Do tell them !

[Commonground]

Re: Australia - Boy, 3, dies after getting swine flu

Australia urges calm after child flu death

[saying twice as many could die. And...it still does not say he had any pre-existing medical conditions....]

02 July 2009

MELBOURNE: Australian authorities told parents not to panic over the spread of the H1N1 flu after the country recorded its first child death related to the virus.

Victoria state premier John Brumby described the death of a three-year-old boy who tested positive for A(H1N1) influenza as distressing, but emphasised that the virus was mild in most cases.

"(There's) no cause for alarm," Brumby said.

He said police and the coroner were investigating the case of the boy, who was reportedly found dead by his mother in their Melbourne home last Friday morning.

Authorities did not attribute the toddler's death to the H1N1 flu when they announced it late Wednesday, but also did not say he had pre-existing medical conditions, as has been the case in all other flu-linked deaths in the country.

It was the eighth fatality related to the disease in Australia, the worst-hit nation in the Asia-Pacific region with 4,370 cases.

Professor Robert Booy, an immunisation specialist at the Westmead Children's Hospital in Sydney, said the H1N1 flu was likely to kill twice as many children over the next 12 months as regular influenza.

Booy estimated 10 to 12 children could die from the virus, compared with five or six from regular influenza in a typical year, and said not all of those killed would have underlying medical conditions.

"It can occur in a healthy child, although most of them we believe will occur in a child with a problem, say a chronic heart problem, long-standing lung, kidney, liver (condition) or diabetes," he told ABC radio.

"The likelihood is with this virus we'll see more of the small number of severe (cases) than we do normally."

Victoria state's deputy chief health officer Rosemary Lester has urged parents to monitor their children and Brumby said they should implement basic hygiene measures.

"We are coming into flu season in the southern states and it's getting colder and wetter and families should take the precautions that we've been stressing, and that is basic hygiene and washing hands, cover your face when you cough and use tissues," he said.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said authorities were using the best available medical advice to respond to the H1N1 flu.

"This is a very, very difficult disease and it's affecting many countries around the world," he told reporters.

"This is very, very difficult and we will continue to take measures as recommended to us by the medical authorities."