Waycross teacher dies after having flu-like symptoms

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.wtoctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11175111

Waycross teacher dies after having flu-like symptoms
Posted: Sep 22, 2009 9:32 AM EST Updated: Sep 22, 2009 9:32 AM EST

By WTOC staff

WARE COUNTY, GA (WTOC) - A Ware County elementary school teacher suddenly passed away Friday after coming down with flu-like symptoms.

First grade teacher Delilah Thornton died at the age of 41. While the cause of her death is still unknown, many parents in Waycross are concerned about the possibility of the H1N1 virus infecting their schools.

But school officials say they've been working with the CDC and the health department to prevent the spread of the flu and they say parents should feel confident when leaving their kids at school.

"I'm here and my child is here," said superintendent Dr. Joseph Barrow. "If I'm here and my child is here, don't you think it's going to be safe? A very strong message we want to send to our parents is that our children come first here."

There have been confirmations of H1N1 in Ware County but Thornton's cause of death is still unknown. She taught first grade in Waycross for 14 years.

[Pathfinder]

Re: Waycross teacher dies after having flu-like symptoms

Elementary School Mourns Teacher of 14 Years

Created: 9/22/2009 12:16:56 PM

WAYCROSS, GA -- The death of a Center Elementary School teacher has left her school and family mourning and stunned.

Delilah Thornton died earlier this week after experiencing flu-like symptoms, her family says.

The 41-year-old worked at Center for 14 years and had perfect attendance.

Family members say the first-grade teacher went to a doctor but left before she was treated because the wait was too long. Thornton died at home and the cause is unclear but her family says it is possible she had another condition that exacerbated the effects of the illness.

Autopsy results are expected in two weeks.

The superintendent will release a statement later today. Stay with First Coast News and firstcoastnews.come for further details.

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=145417&catid=3

[Chuck]

Re: Waycross teacher dies after having flu-like symptoms

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[Snowy Owl]

Re: Waycross teacher dies after having flu-like symptoms

With all the rain happening lately we should keep an eye on Georgia if indeed Humidity is a factor.

SNowy

[FloridaMom]

Re: Waycross teacher dies after having flu-like symptoms

Elementary School Mourns Teacher of 14 Years
Ann Butler Created: 9/22/2009 12:16:56 PM Updated: 9/22/2009 6:14:08 PM Recommend (2)Print ArticleEmail ArticleLargerSmaller



WAYCROSS, GA -- The death of a Center Elementary School teacher has left her school and family mourning and stunned.


Delilah Thornton died Friday after experiencing flu-like symptoms, her family says.


The 41-year-old worked at Center for 14 years and had perfect attendance until last week when she became ill and went home early Monday. She never returned.

Her family says, they were checking on her all week. On Friday, they say they couldn't get a hold of her, so a family member went to her house.


"She didn't answer," said Thornton's cousin, Alexis Daniels, "He got a screw drive and opened the door. He found her and called 911."


Thornton's family says she was found in her bed. They are still in shock over their sudden loss.


"She was never really sick. She was a healthy person," said Daniels.


Autopsy results are expected in two weeks.


In a statement, The Ware School District, said, "She was an excellent teacher. She will be greatly missed by all. This is a great loss for our system."



?2009 First Coast News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten, or redistributed.

[Dark Horse]

Re: Waycross teacher dies after having flu-like symptoms

With all the rain happening lately we should keep an eye on Georgia if indeed Humidity is a factor.

SNowy

Here in coastal Georgia, the humidity can be just awful from June through August, but in the past week or so, it has been much less oppressive. I walk for six miles a day and am grateful for the fall weather. Here in Savannah, we had lots of rain several weeks ago, but now it's back to sunny and nice, unlike other parts of the state.

[somebodyoutthere]

Re: Waycross teacher dies after having flu-like symptoms

I was actually wondering if humidity makes the virus less prone to spread, because it seems like we had some awfully humid days in Kansas shortly after the virus took hold at KU, and it seems the epidemiology in those days/weeks following showed that Kansas ILI actually went DOWN. Now we are cooler and less humid, and cases seem to be going up again.

[tesseract]

Re: Waycross teacher dies after having flu-like symptoms

There have been several studies that suggest high humidity does indeed hinder the virus....

If you google "influenza" and "humidity" you can see lots of results about this:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&s...&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

We were (late August/early September) in the midst of lots of flu cases here, but we've been soaked in rain for 2 weeks now (I live in North Mississippi) and the cases at my kid's school appear to have decreased during this time. Will be interesting to see if those go back up once we get some cooler dry air in here - or...is it possible that this little 'reprieve' help to stop a potentially local full blown epidemic? That would be great...Kind of like we bought ourselves some time before the vaccine maybe.....

[FloridaMom]

Re: Waycross teacher dies after having flu-like symptoms

And yet, I live in one of the most humid places in the country--especially this time of year, and flu has been spreading like crazy!! I believe Florida is 2nd to California in the number of swine flu deaths, and I hear of more deaths in my state nearly every day. Flu has been "widespread" here for some time, and the humidity has been very, very high.

[Pathfinder]

Re: Waycross teacher dies after having flu-like symptoms

I am not convince that this virus has a climate preference. As long as there is an host, it will infect, no matter if it is rainy, dry, cold , warm. It can live in frozen temperature and adapts very well to hot weather because of his bird flu component. A bird's brain temperature is 104 degree to 108 degree Fahrenheit (40 to 42 degrees Celsius).

Less cases in an area could be explained by the fact that the virus didn't introduced itself there yet or there is saturation, the virus as infected as many people as it could.

I do believe that this teacher was infected at school. Another death on the back of the decision to keep the schools opened before the arrival of a safe vaccine. The WHO made recommendations recently on closing schools after 1% of infections. This recommendation is not respected by any officials. I see schools still opened with more then 40% of absenteeism.

[somebodyoutthere]

Re: Waycross teacher dies after having flu-like symptoms

Well, maybe the humidity helped in Kansas when the virus was in the early stages of spread (sporadic or regional). We are now to the point of being classified as "widespread" in Kansas, so I guess there's probably no stopping this train now....come heck or high humidity....

[Chuck]

Re: Waycross teacher dies after having flu-like symptoms

http://www.wtoctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11328968

Health District: Teacher who died had H1N1
Posted: Oct 16, 2009 3:52 PM CDT Updated: Oct 16, 2009 3:54 PM CDT

By Justin Burrows - email

WARE COUNTY, GA (WTOC) - Some rumors have been confirmed in Waycross regarding a first grade teacher's death.

The Southeast Health District is confirming that Delilah Thornton, who died in September, had H1N1 but are not saying that it was the cause of her death.

This makes eight confirmed cases of H1N1 in Ware County.

The principal says the school has been working with the State Department of Education, the CDC and the local health department to prevent the spread of both the seasonal flu and the H1N1 virus and parents should feel confident when leaving their kids at school.

Thornton was a teacher for 14 years.

[Roehl_JC]

Re: Waycross teacher dies after having flu-like symptoms

I'm glad at least we now know this sweet teacher who perished had H1N1.
That California and Florida lead the stats for H1N1 deaths in the US doesn't surprise me, nor the fact that the humidity factor doesn't seem to slow the spread. I think it has more to do with numbers of persons in close proximity such as resorts, hotels, classrooms, etc. spreading it whatever the weather.
Good luck up there and take good care of yourselves and your loved ones, and keep the information coming. It's invaluable to everyone on Earth today.