Aug 9 First H1N1 death confirmed in Arkansas

[bcgauspohl]

Arkansas reports first confirmed swine flu death

Associated Press - August 9, 2009 2:14 PM ET

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Officials say a 46-year-old woman who died early Saturday at a Little Rock hospital is the state's first confirmed swine flu fatality.

Pulaski County Coroner Garland Camper says the woman was tested July 31 at an Arkansas hospital and was confirmed Monday to have swine flu. Camper says she died at about 5:45 a.m. Saturday.

Camper wouldn't release the woman's name or the hospital where she died.

Camper says officials are investigating how the woman contracted the virus and whether she'd traveled internationally recently.

As of late July, Arkansas had 131 confirmed cases of swine flu in 42 of its 75 counties.

Information from: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, http://www.arkansasonline.com

[Labrador - Sadie]

Re: Aug 9 First H1N1 death confirmed in Arkansas

A little more information, they say info on case is not being released. The coroner however mentions she is the first in Pulaski County and she was infected by someone outside the county.

Swine flu claims first life in Arkansas

Last Update: 8/10 8:49 am

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2009 Swine Flu News
Pulaski County Coroner Garland Camper confirms to FOX16 that a 46-year-old woman has died from the swine flu. We're told the woman was tested on July 31st and confirmed to have the virus Monday. She died Saturday morning. Right now, her name or what county she lived in is not being released.

"This is our first confirmed case in Pulaski County, like I said, this case originated from one of the outlying counties in the state, so we do have our guards up," explains Garland Camper, Pulaski County Coroner. "Information we received is that she may have had contact with an individual that tested positive for the H1N1 virus."

"We have a very unusual flu season in the summer time, that's real rare. We do have a mild illness but it's causing death across the country. We have over 350 deaths across the country that are attributed to the swine flu," says Ed Barham with the Arkansas Department of Health.

With school starting in a couple of weeks, and new federal guidelines about schools and swine flu, we asked what parents should know.

"There may be a reason for schools to close because of the number of kids sick but it won't be because they need to be protecting the kids," says Barham. "The best way to protect kids now is for parents to monitor their kids carefully. Keep kids home if they have a fever and a cough and a sneeze, body aches."

Barham also reiterated the importance of washing hands and teaching your children to properly wash theirs.

"Flu is always serious. It's still true we do have an awful lot of mild cases out there in the state right now and people do need to be cautious but not panicky," says Barham.

As of late July, Arkansas had 131 confirmed cases of swine flu in 42 of its 75 counties.

A vaccine is expected by mid-October. Barham says health officials in the state will keep testing people for the virus who are in the high risk category which includes pregnant women, children and the elderly.

For more information on swine flu and the federal guidelines regarding schools, log onto www.flu.gov.


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Link:

http://www.fox16.com/news/local/story/Swine-flu-claims-first-life-in-Arkansas/wUoUrPGqLkuayuezRDrOWg.cspx

[GennieF]

Re: Aug 9 First H1N1 death confirmed in Arkansas

State health dept. reports first swine flu death; releases no other details
By The Siftings Herald
The Daily Siftings Herald
New! Wed Aug 12, 2009, 01:54 PM CDT


Little Rock, Ark. -

State Epidemiologist James Phillips, M.D., reported the first death in Arkansas from complications related to novel H1N1 influenza A (Swine Flu).
?We have H1N1 influenza A all over our state. We knew that we might possibly see deaths from this disease. We lose Arkansans each year to the seasonal flu. It is so unfortunate that this has come to pass. Our sympathies are with the family and friends.?
The Health Department will not be releasing any further details about this case, including the county of residence, for medical confidentiality reasons.
A death from complications of influenza does not change the precautionary measures that all Arkansans should take to prevent getting the disease.
Take the following actions to stay healthy:
? Get a seasonal flu shot each year and when the H1N1 influenza A vaccine is available in Arkansas, get a shot.
? Stay home if you are sick. You should stay home until you are feeling better and after fever is gone for 24 hours without taking fever reducers. While you are sick, limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
? Avoid close contact with people who are coughing or otherwise appear ill.
? Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
? Wash hands frequently with warm, soapy water to lessen the spread of illness.
? When hand washing is not possible, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
? Cover your mouth and nose with tissue when coughing and sneezing, then wash your hands.
Remember the three C's:
? Clean ? properly wash your hands frequently
? Cover ? cover your cough and sneeze
? Contain ? contain your germs by staying home if you are sick
Symptoms of seasonal and H1N1 flu are the same and can lead to complications, including pneumonia or other life-threatening complications. The symptoms include: fever greater than 100 degrees, body aches, coughing, sore throat, chills, headache and body aches, fatigue, respiratory congestion, and in some cases, diarrhea and vomiting. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should contact their physician or other health care provider for advice.
H1N1 flu is highly contagious and is easily spread from person-to-person through coughing or sneezing and by touching a hard surface with the virus on it and then touching the nose or mouth.
For more information about H1N1 influenza A or seasonal flu, click on www.healthyarkansas.com.

http://www.siftingsherald.com/news/x772298313/State-health-dept-reports-first-swine-flu-death-releases-no-other-details

[Pathfinder]

Re: Aug 9 First H1N1 death confirmed in Arkansas

Authorities have identified the first person die from H1N1 in the state as 46-year-old Linda Blocker of Bismark in Hot Spring County.

Pulaski County Coroner Garland Camper says Blocker died at Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock last Saturday.

Blocker tested positive for the flu on July 31 at a hospital in Arkadelphia after being exposed to a relative who was in the later stages of treatment for the H1N1 virus.

The state Health Department in late July had confirmed 131 cases of H1N1 in 42 of Arkansas' 75 counties. But department spokesman Ed Barham says health officials believe every county probably has had someone with a mild case of the illness.

http://www.todaysthv.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=89380