4th A/H1N1 fatality reported in Costa Rica

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.elpais.cr/articulos.php?id=9134

Google translation:

Another died in Costa Rica virus A (H1N1)
Source: dpa | 07/07/2009
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San Jose (dpa) - A new fatality from the virus of influenza A (H1N1), the fourth recorded in Costa Rica, was confirmed today by the health authorities.

She is a woman of 45 years who resided in the city of Heredia, 10 kilometers west of the capital.

The vice minister of Health, Ana Morice, said laboratory tests confirmed that the woman had acquired the virus...

[Shiloh]

Re: 4th A/H1N1 fatality reported in Costa Rica

Source: http://www.nacion.com/ln_ee/2009/jul...is2019407.html

Herediana of 45 years died Saturday
Flu AH1N1 takes fourth life in Costa Rica
Woman has a cough and then developed a severe pneumonia box
Health required hospitals to report daily to a patient suspected
Marcela Cantero | mcantero@nacion.com
Published: 2009/07/07


A neighbor of Heredia became the fourth fatality in the country by infection with influenza AH1N1.

The death occurred last Saturday at the Hospital San Vicente de Paul, in Heredia, and the Ministry of Health confirmed yesterday that the woman was suffering from this type influenza.

"The patient was 45 years and joined three days before (Saturday) with pneumonia," said the deputy minister of Health, Ana Morice.

The official added that the woman had been subjected to a regime to lose weight.

"It could be that this weakened his body when he contracted the flu virus," he added.

This is the fourth death reported in the country of patients infected with influenza AH1N1.

The first case occurred on May 9, when a man died 53 years and the second on June 22, this time a woman of 35 years.

The third fatality occurred on Wednesday, June 29 with the death of a man of 53 years, who smoked from 13 years.

Then, health authorities reported the death of this neighbor of Heredia.

In most of these deaths had risk factors such as smoking and obesity in infected patients who later died.

Sensitive. To date, nine infected with influenza AH1N1 remain isolated in the hospitals San Juan de Dios (four cases), Calder?n Guardia (two), Carthage (two) and Quepos (a).

However, Morice reported that suspected cases reviewed other patients in medical centers.

Of the nine reported a pregnant woman remains critical in intensive care unit of San Juan de Dios.

Moreover, a man is sensitive in the Hospital Max Peralta, Cartago.

In the latter case their value even doctors perform surgery to remove a portion of the lung.

Surveillance in hospitals. With the increase of patients with the flu, Health hospitals request a detailed daily report of suspected cases of patients who are interned.

"This information will be used to alert the laboratory (incense) of the need for priority processing samples of these patients," said Morice.

He clarified that the medical centers begin antiviral treatment before knowing the results, however, seek to streamline the system to the opinion of the test.

So far the samples taken from patients in hospitals did row with the rest sent for analysis by other centers. To date, the country has 277 infected with the flu AH1N1.

[Shiloh]

Re: 4th A/H1N1 fatality reported in Costa Rica

Source: http://www.ticotimes.net/dailyarchiv...07/0707092.cfm

Number of flu deaths climb, virus
detected in three expecting mothers

By Chrissie Long
Tico Times Staff | clong@ticotimes.net

The number of deaths related to the influenza A(H1N1) virus in Costa Rica rose to four this week, after the passing Sunday of a 40-year-old woman from San Jos?, health officials said.

The death of the woman, who also suffered from asthma and depression, followed another fatality last Monday of a 55-year-old man, who also had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and was a 42-year smoker.

Though news of the flu outbreak has gradually seeped into the back pages of newspapers or completely off the scripts of newscasters, the number of cases is steadily growing.

Whereas on June 26, health officials in Costa Rica were reporting just 210 cases, the most recent reports register more than 277 cases spread over six provinces.

Asked whether the situation has gotten more serious here, Health Minister Mar?a Luis Avila responded that it has not.

?It has been about the same,? she told The Tico Times late Monday afternoon. ?But Costa Rica is becoming more successful at tracking down the cases. We are finding it in people with other sicknesses and that's why you see the number of cases growing.?

The A(H1N1) flu virus was also a factor in the death of a 53-year-old musician from Heredia in May and a 35-year-old woman from San Jos? on June 23.

Costa Rica is currently reporting the most deaths in Central America. Honduras reported one death from the flu virus and Guatemala reported two.

A recent World Health Organization conference in Cancun, Mexico, raised more questions than it answered, said Avila. But it was an opportunity to compare notes on how countries were preventing simple cases from getting much worse, she said.

Costa Rica newspapers are also reporting that three expecting mothers are interned at San Jos?'s San Juan de Dios Hospital with the virus. One of the women ? a 26-year-old ? is in delicate condition and receiving oxygen through a machine. According to health officials, she is 20-weeks pregnant and also suffering from pneumonia.