Area girl dies from swine flu complications

[cmmc]

Area girl dies from swine flu complications

http://www.suffolknewsherald.com/news/2009/sep/11/area-girl-dies-swine-flu-complications/

By Staff Report | Suffolk News-Herald

Published Friday, September 11, 2009

Swine flu contributed to the death on Friday of a female teenager from western Tidewater, according to officials from the Virginia Health Department.

Dr. Lisa McCoy, director of the Western Tidewater Health District, would provide no identifying information about the girl, including her place of residence. McCoy?s health district covers the cities of Suffolk and Franklin, as well as Isle of Wight and Southampton counties.

The girl, McCoy said Friday, had become sick before school started and had not been in a school since that time. She had an underlying health condition that put her at risk of greater complications from the flu, according to a press release from the VDH.

Officials said they were still awaiting an official determination of the cause of the girl?s death.

?Our heartfelt condolences go out to the patient?s family at this time of loss,? said State Health Commissioner Karen Remley. ?Losing a child is a tragedy for all of us.?

The virus, which health department officials are referring to as novel influenza A (H1N1), has predominantly affected younger people, and studies have shown that people older than 64 appear to have at least partial immunity to the strain, possibly from exposure to a similar virus years ago, according to the health department.

As of Sept. 9, the Centers for Disease Control had reported 593 deaths nationwide from the virus.

[Shiloh]

Re: Area girl dies from swine flu complications

Source: http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-lo...,2933128.story

Windsor High student dies from H1N1 virus

By Allison T. Williams 247-4535

9:36 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2009

SUFFOLK ? A Windsor High School student died Wednesday after being diagnosed with H1N1.

The girl had an underlying health condition that put her at greater risk of complications from the virus, said Dr. Lisa McCoy, health director of the Western Tidewater Health Department.

McCoy refused to release the victim's name and age.

"Our heartfelt condolences go out to the patient's family at this time of loss," said State Health Commissioner Karen Remley. "Losing a child is a tragedy for all of us."

The teenager had been ill since before school started last week and had not attended classes this school year, McCoy said.

"No other students were put in jeopardy, and there is no need for any type of infection control or intervention at the school," McCoy said.

The school division announced Friday that it will send out a letter next week regarding the division's plans for responding to flu outbreaks.

The girl is the first person in the local health district, and the fourth in Virginia, to die from complications with the H1N1 virus, McCoy said. Nationwide, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 593 deaths caused by the virus.

The state is urging people to help prevent the spread of H1N1 and other strains of influenza by:

? Getting a regular flu shot and to plan on getting an H1N1 vaccination when it becomes available in mid-October.

? Staying home from work or school when ill and limiting contact with others to keep from spreading the infection.

? Covering their nose and mouth with a tissue when they cough or sneeze and throwing the tissue in the trash after use.

? Washing their hands often with soap and water, especially after they cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners also are effective.

Go online
For more information on the H1N1 virus, go to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web site at www.cdc.gov

[Shiloh]

Re: Area girl dies from swine flu complications

Source: http://www.wvec.com/news/topstories/...16f793ba5.html

H1N1 contributing factor in death of student awaiting lung transplant

11:21 PM EDT on Friday, September 11, 2009

Reported by Brian Farrell

WINDSOR ? Friday night brings the typical roar of a crowd to Windsor High School, hours after students sat quietly remembering someone from the junior class.


"Just told us to think about her for a second,? Crishawna Bradshaw says, ?and, so, we did."


The pause followed the death of the high school junior who had battled lung disease for a long time. Members of the school community tell 13News she was at Duke University Medical Center waiting for a lung transplant. The teenager came down with Swine Flu. Because of her medical condition, health officials believe H1N1 may have lead to complications that caused her death.


Bradshaw and others had no idea that H1N1 might have been a factor.



?That?s kind of sad. I feel bad for her and her family,? Bradshaw says. ?She was really quiet, you know. She sat in the back of the class. You didn?t really know she was there, but you knew she was there.?



"Things like pregnancy, chronic lung diseases, asthma, those types of illnesses can put someone at an increased of risk of complications from the virus," Lisa McCoy, MD explains.



It?s for that reason that health officials want to make sure higher-risk groups are among the first to get shots once the H1N1 vaccine is available. McCoy, who is the Director of the Western Tidewater Health District, says health departments throughout Virginia are working with school divisions to provide options for parents who will want vaccinations for their children. Those options include chances for families to get shots through their own doctors, hospitals, pharmacies and health departments, themselves.



"We're also trying to work with the schools to develop some options for on-site vaccination clinics there at the schools,? McCoy says. She adds that there are ?about 2,300 different vaccination sites around the state that have registered so far, so it looks like there will be plenty of options for not oly parents, but for other individuals, particularly in the priority groups who would like to receive vaccination.?



Isle of Wight County Schools issued this statement on its website as an H1N1 alert:



Isle of Wight County Schools (IWCS) has received information from The Virginia Department of Health indicating that the novel influenza A (H1N1) virus may have been a factor in the recent death of a Windsor High School student.



?This is a terrible loss for our school community,? said Dr. Michael McPherson, Superintendent of Schools. ?Our thoughts and prayers are with the student?s family.?



Dr. McPherson would like to reassure the community that this is an isolated case and that the student had not attended or visited school since the prior school year.



Division administrators continue to work with the state and local Health Department to ensure safe, secure and healthy school environments throughout the division.



Parents will receive a letter next week regarding the division?s plans for responding to flu outbreaks. The division will continue to keep the community updated on developments related to the H1N1 virus throughout the school year.