NH deaths related to H1N1 - total 10

[JimO]

Source: http://www.unionleader.com/article.a...e-4696f0767f1f

NH deaths related to H1N1 increase
By STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009

CONCORD ? The number of people who have died in New Hampshire from complications related to swine flu rose to seven yesterday after the state Health and Human Services Department confirmed last week's death of a Merrimack County woman.

DHHS spokeswoman Kris Nielsen said the woman had underlying medical conditions.

State officials confirmed the death of five people last month. The first death officials tied to swine flu was in August.

Last week's death was the first since Dartmouth graduate student Henry Masters died after testing positive for swine flu. According to Dartmouth President Jim Yong Kim, Masters had a chronic autoimmune disorder and his parents believed the pre-existing condition was the underlying cause of his death.

Officials said all seven people who died had underlying medical conditions.

DHHS expanded the base of people eligible to receive the H1N1 vaccination two weeks ago to include people caring for or living with infants younger than 6 months old (including partners of pregnant women), children up to the age of four, and people 18 to 24 with underlying medical conditions. Health care workers and first responders, pregnant women and children up to the age of 18 with chronic medical conditions were in the first group eligible for the vaccine.

►Free swine flu clinic for priority groups in city on Saturday
►State DHHS H1N1 Web site

Vaccines are available for free by appointment at clinics that opened last week to high-risk people who do not have doctors.

There are 15 clinics scheduled over the next two weeks throughout the state, including one in Manchester at 1528 Elm St., Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. A complete list is on the DHHS Web site: www.dhhs.state.nh.us.

According to the DHHS, 211,107 vaccines have been distributed as of Nov. 21. Revised numbers are expected to be released today.

[Missouriwatcher]

Re: NH deaths related to H1N1 increase - total 8

week 48:

"2009-2010 Influenza Season Laboratory-Confirmed 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) Cases
........................................Age Group
Patient Characteristics 0-4.. 5-24.. 25-49.. 50-64... 65+ Total
Laboratory-confirmed... 68.. 181... 113 .......62 .......21... 445
Pregnant..................... 0.... 2.......3...........0........ 0....... 5
Died........................... 0.... 1...... 3.......... 3........ 1....... 8
Hospitalized............... 45....67......59........ 44 .......21... 236
Underlying conditions ...21 ...40......46........ 35...... 20 ....162

Flu activity for week 48 was
reported as ?widespread"

http://www.nh.gov/h1n1/index.htm

[kiwibird]

Re: NH deaths related to H1N1 increase - total 9

Saturday, December 26, 2009
Swine flu claims nine in New Hampshire

The official name was innocuous – H1N1, referring to two proteins on the surface of the virus – but when it appeared in Mexico in February, officials worried that they might be facing the global flu epidemic that has been feared for decades.

By the end of the year, the so-called “swine flu” had proved worrisome, pushing the flu season forward by six months and taking a greater toll on children and young adults than flu usually does. But it wasn’t a disaster, either in New Hampshire and throughout the world.

However, the disease hasn’t run its course. Officials, knowing that seasonal flu comes in several “waves” each year, continue to urge people to get vaccinated to reduce its effect if it returns in force in 2010.

H1N1 first appeared here in March and April. Several public and private schools shut for a week or more when cases were reported among their students before health authorities said this precaution was unnecessary. Unlike seasonal flu, H1N1 remained in the state all summer, although at a low level, and then spiked again when students returned to school, spreading germs.

As of late December, nine people in New Hampshire died while they had the H1N1 flu. Most had other medical conditions, usually respiratory, which allowed the virus to get deeper into their lungs.

Flu vaccines were slow to arrive in New Hampshire, as they were around the country, because production proved more difficult than pharmaceutical firms had expected. It wasn’t until the week before Christmas that enough vaccine arrived to make vaccinations available to all ages 4 and older instead of being limited to higher-risk populations.

– DAVID BROOKS

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/500855-196/swine-flu-claims-nine-in-new-hampshire.html

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: NH deaths related to H1N1 increase - total 9

NH reports 10th H1N1-related death
Officials: Third wave of flu unlikely


By Eric Parry
eparry@eagletribune.com

CONCORD ? An adult female from Rockingham County is the state's 10th confirmed H1N1-related death.

Dr. Jose Montero, state director of public health, said yesterday that the woman died in late January. Montero spoke to reporters in a conference call. However, over the last few weeks, there has been almost no flu activity, seasonal or H1N1, Montero said.

-snip-

http://www.eagletribune.com/punewsnh/local_story_050011442.html?keyword=secondarystory