FL: Woman Is Polk's Third Swine Flu Death

[Chuck]

http://www.theledger.com/article/20090909/NEWS/909099928/1410?Title=Woman-Is-Polk-s-Third-Swine-Flu-Death

Woman Is Polk's Third Swine Flu Death

By Shoshana Walter
THE LEDGER

Published: Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at 4:39 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at 4:39 p.m.

A third person has died in Polk County in connection to the H1N1 swine flu, Polk County Health Department officials said.

The 46-year-old woman had underlying medical conditions, officials said. The Health Department received word that she tested positive for swine flu late Wednesday morning, said director Dr. Daniel Haight.

He declined to provide details about her underlying conditions or where she lived.

?The flu has really spread throughout the county,? he said.

The state Department of Health has set up a toll-free H1N1 swine flu hotline, which operates daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The number is 877-352-3581.

A 34-year-old man who had an underlying medical condition died Aug. 26. The first Polk death, reported July 16, was a 31-year-old man who also had underlying medical conditions.

There have been 78 laboratory confirmed H1N1 Swine flu deaths in Florida and 593 deaths in the United States, the Health Department said.

[ Shoshana Walter can be reached at shoshana.walter@theledger.com or 863-802-7590. ]

[Shiloh]

Re: FL: Woman Is Polk's Third Swine Flu Death

Source: http://www.lakewalesnews.com/article...4145690894.txt

Frostproof woman is third swine flu death in county

By BRIAN ACKLEY
Editor
Published:
Saturday, September 12, 2009 10:08 AM EDT

The Frostproof News has confirmed that Polk County?s third swine-flu-related death is a 46-year-old city resident who died Sept. 6. She became the second person to die at Lake Wales Medical Center in the past three weeks of the illness. Ironically, there have been three confirmed swine-flu deaths in Polk County this year, and all three are connected to the Lake Wales and Frostproof areas.

A statement issued by the Polk County Health Department on Wednesday confirming the swine-flu-related death indicated that they have not come up with any connection between the three cases.

A 31-year-old school cafeteria and food-service worker who lived in Lake Wales was the first to die from the illness on July 16. He died at Winter Haven Hospital. On Aug. 26, a 34-year-old Lake Wales businessperson who lived on the Winter Haven side of Lake Ashton died at Lake Wales Medical Center.

The Rev. Nolin Kelton confirmed that the victim was an occasional parishioner at Gandy Baptist Church in Connersville where Kelton serves.

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?She was sick a lot,? Kelton said. ?She had a lot of health problems.? He said he had known the victim for a number of years.

A spokesperson for Lake Wales Medical Center said they have taken several steps at the hospital to help mitigate any spread of swine flu.

?To help protect our patients, employees and hospital visitors from exposure to the H1N1 virus, our team members are following CDC guidelines and the hospital?s infection control procedures,? said Maryemma Bachelder. ?We have placed stations in each of our lobbies where visitors can get a mask and hand sanitizer. We are suggesting those with coughs or flu-like symptoms not visit patients at the hospital. We also have adjusted our visitation policy to require visitors to be at least 12 years of age to visit patient floors.?

The visitation policy was changed two days after the first swine-flu related death there, although others hospitals in the area, including Heart of Florida Hospital in Haines City, changed their policy at the same time. Previously in Lake Wales, youngsters age 6 and above could visit patients.

?With the recent H1N1 cases throughout our region, we felt it important to reassure the public that Lake Wales Medical Center has taken steps to prepare for the possibility of more cases of H1N1 and the common flu,? she added. ?These preparations include processes for identifying, isolating and caring for patients with H1N1 or the flu, securing additional supplies and anti-viral medications, adjusting staffing levels accordingly, being in constant contact with the local health department and monitoring all guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control.?

The most recent victim was a resident of Frostproof Mobile Home Park off County Road 630. A management person at the park on Friday said they had not been made aware by county health officials that a resident there had died from complications related to swine flu, but wishes that they had been.

State health officials said Wednesday that 77 people have died from swine flu in Florida.

Spokesperson Susan Smith also confirmed that the state?s swine-flu status has been raised to ?widespread.? The change in Florida's status from regional flu activity to widespread activity can be viewed on the web site of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Smith says the change in Florida's status is not a cause for alarm. She attributes it to school?s starting. Florida is one of six U.S. states with such a designation. Five are in the southeast, and Alaska is the sixth.

Federal health officials say influenza is circulating unusually early this year with cases in every state ? and nearly all the infections are swine flu.

The report from the CDC on Friday also came with good news: Testing of vaccines for swine flu show that they work with a single dose and take effect rapidly.

Supplies of swine flu vaccine are expected to be available in mid-October. But the seasonal flu vaccine is available now, and officials are encouraging people to get it.

Dr. Anne Schuchat of the CDC says the swine flu broke out in the spring and "never went away." Currently 98 percent of the flu viruses circulating are swine flu. Schuchat says cases are mainly in children and young adults.

Also on Friday, The World Health Organization also reported that swine flu has claimed at least 3,205 lives around the globe.

Bachelder said the hospital and local health officials are trying to spread the word that common-sense measures like washing hands frequently, staying home when sick and using a tissue when sneezing can go a long way toward slowing the spread of the disease.

Almost all cases of swine flu are not particularly nasty, Bachelder added.

?The public can take comfort in knowing that most cases of H1N1 and the common flu are not life-threatening and that their community hospital, health department and area physicians are staying informed of the latest developments and treatments and have the expertise needed to care for patients,? she said. ?Whether the diagnosis is flu-related or some other medical condition, our staff strives to provide excellent patient care.?

The local hospital has a section of its website dedicated to swine flu questions. That information can be found by accessing the site and looking for the ?breaking news? link.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)