MS child dies of Swine flu

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=10868404

MS child dies of Swine flu
Posted: Aug 07, 2009 4:53 PM EST Updated: Aug 07, 2009 6:50 PM EST
By Stephanie Bell Flynt - bio | email

A South Mississippi family joins over two dozen others who've lost children to Swine flu.

"So far this year in the countr,y we've had 30 pediatric deaths. So this is not the first death in the nation fom Novel H1N1 Swine flu in a child," explained State Epidemiologist Dr. Mary Currier.

She stresses however, the Mississippi child who died was particularly vulnerable.

"This child had several chronic underlying conditions that made him high risk for complications from the flu" adds Dr. Currier.

The death of this elementary aged child comes just days before schools are getting ready to open their doors to hundreds of children. The Centers for Disease Control has just handed down guidelines for schools to follow during what's expected to be an active Swine flu season.

The guidelines don't call for school closings.

Dr. Currier says Swine flu is no different at this point than the regular flu.

Dr. Currier says the state expects to get swine flu vaccine by mid-October if not earlier, and plans are in the works to make certain children are among the first to receive it.

"We are preparing for vaccination in schools and that's something we've done before but not on this scale. This is not a mandated vaccine at all. We are just offering it to people who want to get it" said Dr. Currier.

Also, parents can expect school officials to vigorously guard against the spread of swine flu.

"Parents need to know if children get sick at school they are going to be sent home and they will be isolate din the school if they get sick so they've won't give it to other kids." Dr. Currier said.

[Rwilmer]

Re: MS child dies of Swine flu

By Matt Kozar
Reporter
Published: August 7, 2009

State health department officials say children, the elderly, and the chronically ill may be at a higher risk for complications when contracting the swine flu. The warning comes after officials confirm the state?s first death from the virus. Nationwide, more than 6500 people have been hospitalized with the swine flu, and 353 have died.


Doctors say a child from Jackson County died from the H1N1 influenza. She was initially taken to a hospital in the county, but then moved to the University of South Alabama?s hospital in Mobile, where the child died.


Doctors say the child suffered from several medical conditions. The family has asked to keep information about the child confidential.


We?re told the elementary school aged child died at the end of last month.


Health care providers at Central Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson are taking special precautions in dealing with the virus. Administrators have posted signs across the hospital alerting people to the danger of the virus and reminding people to wash their hands and cover their mouth when coughing.


?As soon as we suspect a case of swine flu, the patient would be placed in a separate room or isolated room.? said Dr. Al Beltran, an infectious disease specialist.


Any nurse caring for that patient must wear a gown, gloves, and a special mask. For cases involving children, Beltran says they must be treated immediately.


?Their immune system is not completely developed, and they?re at an increase risk of having complications, like bacterial super infections?and sometimes death,? he said.


He says they?re also at a higher risk of having seizures.


?Seasonal flu, they?re vaccinated against it,? said Beverly Burt, a registered nurse. ?This one is a different strain so that was a big concern.?


Tami-flu is effective in fighting the strain, but doctors are betting a vaccine in the pipeline would work even better. Researchers hope to have it ready by October. The vaccine will be a series of two shots. The C.D.C. says pregnant women, health care workers and children should be the first to get this vaccine.


Baptist Hospital is also taking special precautions in dealing with the swine flu.


Robby Channel, a spokesperson with the hospital, wrote, ?Hospital personnel in certain circumstances wear masks, gowns, and protective eyewear.?


He also says patients who are discharged are instructed about common precautions against the virus.

http://www2.wjtv.com/jtv/news/local/...u_death/16649/

[Shiloh]

Re: MS child dies of Swine flu

Source: http://www.gulflive.com/news/mississ...590.xml&coll=5

Jackson County 7-year-old is first swine flu fatality in Mississippi
Saturday, August 08, 2009
By HARLAN KIRGAN

A 7-year-old Jackson County boy is Mississippi's first death from swine flu, state and local health officials said Friday.

The child, who had several other medical conditions, died in late July from complications involving Novel H1N1 influenza, said Dr. Mary Currier, state epidemiologist.

The diagnosis that swine flu was involved was confirmed Thursday, she said.

"This child had several chronic underlying conditions that made him high risk for complications from the flu," Currier said in a teleconference.

The Centers for Disease Control reports 436 deaths from the swine flu, said Currier. There have been 365 confirmed swine flu cases in Mississippi, with five people hospitalized with the illness, she said

State and local officials would not identify the child or the location of his residence in the county.

The child was treated in the Singing River Hospital emergency department for about an hour before being transferred to the University of South Alabama Medical Center, said Dr. Larry Shoemaker, chief medical officer of the Singing River Health System.

Shoemaker said the child was "quite ill" and had the type of problems best treated in a larger hospital.

The child died at the Mobile hospital, said Vicki Broadus, Jackson County coroner.

Currier said there have been about 30 pediatric deaths from the swine flu.

The Jackson County youth had not been in a school setting while ill, she said. Currier said she didn't know if the child had siblings.

"There will probably be transmission in the schools," said Currier. "The difference here is that this is an influenza that we don't have a vaccine for, but it is something that is about the same severity as a routine seasonal flu."

A vaccine for the H1N1 flu is expected by mid-October, she said. The vaccine will be in two doses, she said. People will still need a separate vaccination for the traditional influenza, she said.

"My concern is that people who should get vaccinated are not going to take the time," she said.

The vaccination is not mandated, she said.

Currier said the very young, the elderly, pregnant women and the chronically ill are at higher risk for the flu.

Swine flu responds to traditional anti-viral medications, she said.

"We are going to have to rely on personal protection," said Currier. "We are going to have to rely on good hand washing, those things we learned in kindergarten. Sneezing in a tissue. Coughing in a tissue."

Diane Chaney, lead school nurse in the Pascagoula School District, said hand sanitizer and tissues are in every classroom.

The CDC recommendation is for frequent hand washing and those who become sick should stay home until they are fever-free for at least 24 hours, she said.

The CDC does not recommend school closures, said Chaney.

Currier said the highest number of deaths from the swine flu have occurred in 25- to 45-year-olds.

There have been 25 to 40 positive tests for swine flu in the state since June 14, she said.

The Mississippi Department of Health reports there has been 22 swine flu cases in Jackson County, 46 in Harrison County and five in George County since May 15

There are 36,000 deaths from seasonal flu that strikes hardest at those over 65 years old, she said.

(Staff Reporter Amber Craig and the Associated Press contributed to this report.)