2nd St. John Co. A/H1N1 death reported

[Shiloh]

Source: http://wokv.com/localnews/2009/10/ne...n-st-john.html

New: Swine Flu Death in St. Johns County
By
Rich Jones, News Director
@ October 16, 2009 7:41 AM Permalink | Comments (0)

The St. Johns County Health Department is releasing weekly updates on the H-1-N-1 Virus.
Here is the latest information as of October 15th:

ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA - St. Johns County Health Department continues to monitor the
current flu situation in our community and, as always, continues to follow the guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

St. Johns County Health Department received its first allotment of H1N1 Swine Influenza
vaccine. To date, approximately 1,000 doses of 2009 H1N1 Swine Flu vaccine have been
received. Currently, St. Johns County Health Department is vaccinating healthcare providers /
first responders. Additional allotments of vaccine are anticipated to arrive throughout the
coming weeks. Eventually, everyone who wants to be vaccinated will be able to get the vaccine.

As more vaccine becomes available, we will continue following the recommendation of the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to vaccinate certain priority groups which
include:

· Pregnant women
· Individuals who live with or provide care for infants aged 6 months or younger (e.g.,
parents, siblings, and daycare providers)
· Health-care and emergency medical services personnel
· Individuals aged 6 months to 24 years of age
· Persons aged 25 to 64 years who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk
for influenza-related complications

On Monday, August 24th, Florida Department of Health launched a toll-free number to provide
public health information and updates on H1N1 Swine Flu. The Florida Flu Information Line can now be reached at 1-877-352-3581. Live operators are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EDT, while pre-recorded information is available anytime outside those hours.

-CURRENT SITUATION
St. Johns County Health Department received notification of its second laboratory-confirmed
H1N1 (Swine) flu-related death of a St. Johns County resident on October 13, 2009. The
individual was a 45-year old male with an underlying health condition.

"Our hearts and prayers go out to the family and friends of this individual," said Dr. Dawn
Allicock, Director of the St. Johns County Health Department. "This is an unfortunate loss;
however, it is a sobering reminder that influenza can be serious. We continue to monitor this
disease in our community and remind residents to take all precautions to avoid the flu. As more H1N1 vaccine becomes available, we encourage our residents to take the time to get
vaccinated to protect themselves and loved ones."

While most cases of H1N1 Swine Flu are mild, there are exceptions. Pre-existing health
conditions often play a role in how individuals react to the flu.

The Florida Department of Health/St. Johns County Health Department continues its
enhanced surveillance and outreach to physicians, hospitals, and other health care professionals. The surveillance system, consisting of sentinel physicians reporting influenza activity, Florida Department of Health laboratories receiving specimens from physicians and hospitals, and its ability to monitor emergency room cases, is fully operational. The Florida Department of Health/St. Johns County Health Department has activated its response plan and is ready to respond, if needed.

Currently, the Health Department is working with St. Johns County Administration, the Sheriff's Office, County Emergency Management, Fire Rescue, the School District, and Flagler Hospital to ensure that our community is well prepared.

-PRECAUTIONS
Dr. Dawn Allicock, the Director of the St. Johns County Health Department, offers the
following tips to avoid spreading the flu:
· Cough/sneeze into your elbow, sleeve, or a disposable tissue.
· Wash your hands well and often.
· Stay home if you are sick (at least 24 hours after fever is gone).
· Take time to get vaccinated!
· Individuals experiencing cough, fever, and fatigue, possibly along with diarrhea and vomiting should contact their health care provider.

[JimO]

Re: 2nd St. John Co. A/H1N1 death reported

I saw my doctor yesterday and he knew about this case and told me that this was a perfectly healthy individual with no underlying conditions. I'd be curious what condition the report is referring to and it makes me wonder how many others were reported to have conditions that really had no part in making the flu worse.