Queens tot suspected to be second swine flu death in New York City

[HenryN]

BY JOHN VALENTI | john.valenti@newsday.com
<DD>7:04 AM EDT, May 19, 2009 </DD>A 16-month-old boy, who died late Monday night at Elmhurst General Hospital in Queens, is suspected of being the second swine flu fatality in New York City, a hospital spokesman told Newsday.

A brother and a cousin of the dead child, who was described only as "an Hispanic male" from Corona, also have been taken to the hospital with suspected cases of the H1N1 virus.

Hospital spokesman Dario Centorcelli said Tuesday that the 16-month-old was brought to the hospital at approximately 9:30 p.m. Monday with a high fever and was pronounced dead at 10:20 p.m.

He said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta must conduct tests to verify whether the child died as a result of the swine flu virus. "We're waiting for those results," he said.

The dead boy's brother is 3 years old, Centorcelli told Newsday. The cousin is 1, he said.

The first confirmed swine flu death in New York City occurred Sunday, when Mitchell Wiener, 55, an assistant principal at IS 238 in Hollis, Queens, died at Flushing Hospital Medical Center from the virus.

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[HenryN]

Re: Queens tot may be second swine flu victim

Link has been pulled

http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-nyflu0520-swap,0,6787057.story

[The Mountains Voice]

Re: Queens tot may be second swine flu victim

Link has been pulled

http://www.newsday.com/news/health/n...,6787057.story

Not this one - Queens toddler dies; swine flu suspected
by Staten Island Advance
Tuesday May 19, 2009, 7:00 AM
A 16-month old Queens toddler may have become the second New York City victim of the swine flu, CBS news reports.

The child was brought to Elmhurst Hospital suffering from high fever and other flu-like symptoms and died shortly after 10:00pm Monday.

A hospital spokesman told CBS confirmation will have to come from a medical examiner and the Centers for Disease Control.

The death comes one day after the confirmed swine flu related death of a Queens assistant school principal.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/queens_toddler_dies_swine_flu.html

[The Mountains Voice]

Re: Queens tot may be second swine flu victim

Link has been pulled

http://www.newsday.com/news/health/n...,6787057.story

When are these people going to learn. I am absolutely frothing at the mouth at all the Spin and Manipulation.

[thebes]

Re: Queens tot may be second swine flu victim

http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/health/swine_flu/090519_second_possible_death_from_swine_flu_in_new_york_city

Second Possible Swine
Flu Death
Swine Flu Coverage
Updated: Tuesday, 19 May 2009, 7:20 AM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 19 May 2009, 6:46 AM EDT

NEW YORK - A medical examiner will determine if the 16-month-old boy who died shortly after arriving at Elmhurst Hospital in Queens is the second death from swine flu in New York City.

Family members say the boy was turning blue as they rushed him to the hospital.

Fox 5 Reporter Katherine Creag is outside the hospital talking with officials.

Watch the video, left.

(AP) -The New York City Health Department is investigating the death of a toddler who was taken to a hospita with flu-like symptoms.

Department spokeswoman Jessica Scaperotti said Tuesday the child was 16 months old. She said the agency does not discuss specific cases. It's not yet known how long the investigation will take.

Elmhurst Hospital Center in Queens said the little boy had a high fever when he was brought in. On Sunday, a public school assistant principal, Mitchell Wiener, became the city's first swine flu death.

Hospital and city officials say complications besides the virus probably played a part in Wiener's death. But his family has said he suffered only from gout, a joint disease.

The Health Department says schools will be asked to make daily reports to local health agencies when sickness spikes. Local officials will still decide whether schools stay open.

[The Mountains Voice]

Re: Queens tot may be second swine flu victim

Link has been pulled

http://www.newsday.com/news/health/n...,6787057.story

Nor this one.....
Baby in NYC Dies of Possible Swine Flu AP
posted: 15 MINUTES AGOcomments: 6filed under: Health News, National News, Swine Flu

NEW YORK (May 19) -- The New York City Health Department is investigating the death of a toddler as a possible swine flu case.
The 16-month-old boy died Monday night at Elmhurst Hospital Center in Queens. Hospital officials said he had a high fever when he was brought in.
Health Department spokeswoman Jessica Scaperotti confirmed the investigation but said the agency does not discuss specific cases. It's not yet known how long the investigation will take.
On Sunday, a public school assistant principal, Mitchell Wiener (WEE'-ner), became the city's first swine flu death.
Hospital and city officials say complications besides the virus probably played a part in Wiener's death. But his family has said he suffered only from gout, a joint disease.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2009-05-19 07:09:47

http://news.aol.com/article/baby-in-nyc-dies-of-possible-swine-flu/486753

[FluBossie]

Second NYC Death May Be Linked to Spreading Swine Flu

Second NYC Death May Be Linked to Spreading Swine Flu

By XANA O'NEILL

Updated 7:23 AM EDT, Tue, May 19, 2009

Related Topics: Margaret Chan

AP
The suspected flu-related death comes as the number of cases around the globe soared and the World Health Organization said it was more difficult to produce a vaccine for the virus than initially thought.

A 16-month-old infant may be the latest U.S. victim of swine flu and the second fatality in New York City in as many days as the deadly virus that has infected as many as 100,000 Americans continues to spread.

The baby, who suffered from flu-like symptoms, died less than an hour after his family took him to a Queens hospital last night just a day after an assistant vice principal became the city's first swine-flu related fatality. It was unconfirmed whether the infant had swine flu.

The suspected flu-related death comes as the number of cases around the globe soared and the World Health Organization said it was more difficult to produce a vaccine for the virus than initially thought.

The WHO believed a vaccine for the virus could start production in late May, but flu experts told the group Tuesday that it would not be readyto make the drug until mid-July.

As many as 100,000 Americans are infected with the virus that has spread with a vengeance to 46 states and across the globe, leaving death and sickness in its wake. The outbreak has sickened nearly 9,000 people in more than 40 countries and is responsible for 80 deaths.

The WHO held off on raising its alert yesterday as Britain, Japan and China urged the group to maintain its phase five status -- phase six would indicate a pandemic is in effect.

"It's certainly something we will look at very closely," said Dr. Keiji Fukuda, WHO's flu chief.

Japan had the biggest spike in the number of cases -- reporting a jump from four to 170 cases over the weekend, health officials said today. Most cases were teenagers who had not traveled overseas.

Spain and Britain have the highest numbers of cases in Europe, reporting 103 and 101 cases, respectively.

Copyright Associated Press

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/us_world/Swine-Flu-0519.html

[The Mountains Voice]

Re: Queens tot may be second swine flu victim

Family members say the boy was turning blue as they rushed him to the hospital.

Sounds like 1918 all over again. If the media doesn't bury this story - this might be the catalyst for some serious questions to begin being asked publicly. This flu is hitting a new level it seems - is there any recent data on the genetics of the NY strain? Is it becoming more virulent already? Or is this just the numbers catching up with us?

[The Mountains Voice]

Re: Queens tot may be second swine flu victim

http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/health/sw..._new_york_city

Link above has a FOX TV video - shows and comments on police officers coming in and out of hospital are wearing masks. This is the sort of thing that generates the news media frenzy. Good news is that this should get more coverage. Bad news is that it's probably not going to focus on the real issues - just serve as sensationalism.

[The Mountains Voice]

Re: Queens tot may be second swine flu victim

L.I. Schools Open
Despite Swine Flu
Swine Flu Coverage
Updated: Tuesday, 19 May 2009, 7:39 AM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 19 May 2009, 7:39 AM EDT

MYFOXNY.COM - Five school districts on Long Island are keeping their doors open despite confirmed swine flu among their student body.

Officials say they are following new, updated guidelines from the federal government.

http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/health/swine_flu/090519_long_island_schools_remain_open_with_swine_flu

[The Mountains Voice]

Re: Queens tot may be second swine flu victim

CDC Investigating Case Of 16-Month-Old Queens Baby Who Was Suffering From Flu-Like Symptoms
Hundreds Of Patients Flock To Elmhurst Hospital Complaining Of Discomfort Reporting
Jay Dow NEW YORK (CBS) ―

As officials walk the fine line of trying to slow the growing swine flu outbreak without inciting public panic, they're now faced with the possibility of another fatal case at Elmhurst Hospital in Queens.

Monday night, around 9:30, a 16-month-old was rushed into the ER with flu-like symptoms. Less than an hour later, the infant died, and now the hard work begins to determine if it's the city's second fatal case of swine flu.

Friends and loved ones are still grieving for the first New York victim, IS-238 Assistant Principal Mitchell Wiener.

"He was one of the teachers that you could go and talk to if you had any problems," said student Elaina Bailey. "I really liked him and I'll really miss him."

His wife Bonnie, surrounded by those who knew and loved the veteran educator, held a vigil Monday night outside the school.

"He loved coming to work every day," said Bonnie Wiener. "He was happiest when he was sitting behind his desk in his office. He hated to go on vacation."

Wiener spent five days in the hospital before succumbing to the H1N1 virus, which is proving an elusive target for health officials.

"This flu is different from other flus," said New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden. "We don't have a vaccine against it yet. It appears that we don't have a lot of natural immunity to it, at least many people don't."

So far, the outbreak has caused six deaths nationwide. But that's fewer than the average flu season. Every year, the flu puts 200,000 people in the hopsital and causes 36,000 deaths. But make no mistake, anxiety is also spreading. Doctors at Elmhurst Hospital say the number of walk-in patients has increased sharply.

"The wait times in the emergency rooms have tripled or quadrupled just because people are walking in that aren't sick," said Dr. Luis Rodriguez of Elmhurst Hospital. "In the meantime, when we really have emergent cases, we have to prioritize, and the staff is outstretched."

Meanwhile, making a swine flu vaccine appears to be more difficult than experts first thought, the World Health Organization acknowledged Tuesday as U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and WHO chief Dr. Margaret Chan met with pharmaceutical companies.

Health officials from around the world are attending WHO's annual meeting in Geneva this week to discuss the outbreak that has infected 9,000 people in over 40 countries, killing 76 of them.

Flu experts have told WHO that vaccine manufacturers will not be ready to produce a swine flu vaccine until mid-July at the earliest, WHO reported Tuesday. Previously, WHO officials had thought production could start in late May.

Experts also found no evidence that regular flu vaccines offer any protection against swine flu.

Symptoms of the swine flu include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting as well. Anyone experiencing severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, should seek health care and treatment. The best way to prevent additional cases of flu in schools is to stay home when sick, cover your mouth when coughing and sneezing, and wash hands frequently.

For those who are ill, the recommendation is to stay home until they are symptom-free for at least 24 hours.

Eating pork or pork products cannot spread the swine flu.

http://wcbstv.com/topstories/elmhurst.hospital.16.2.1013045.html

[The Mountains Voice]

Re: Queens tot may be second swine flu victim

http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/99312/queens-toddler-dies-of-flu-like-symptoms/Default.aspx

There is a video news report at above link. They interview the hospital administrator and ask him what symptoms led up to his mother bringing him in to the hospital, where he died one hour later.

He said that the mother noticed he had a fever in the morning, but was eating that afternoon - but in the evening she noticed he was non-responsive and took him to the hospital where he died 1 hour later. Other news reports have indicated that he was blue when brought in. This speed of deterioration, and blue coloring (cyanosis due to lack of exygen in the blood) is consistent with many descriptions of deaths in the 1918 pandemic.

[AlexanderSJones]

Re: Queens tot may be second swine flu victim

"now the hard work begins to determine if it's the city's second fatal case of swine flu."

The hard work huh. They must mean run RT rtPCR on the sample. This should not take more than 24h - 48h. I am also quite sick of the spin -- people's lives are at stake here -- it is not a game for the authorities to play around with.

Anyway I agree Mountain and thebes that this suggests cyanosis. Good catch Dr Niman... I wonder if this is the regular New York strain.

Statistically, you would expect this (cyanosis) to happen occasionally even without new polymorphisms. But they will definitely need to sequence the strain and post it online so we can check.

[HenryN]

Re: Queens tot may be second swine flu victim

Map of NYC cases

<a rel="nofollow" href="http://flutracker.rhiza.com">Maps</a>

[Commonground]

Re: Queens tot may be second swine flu victim

He said that the mother noticed he had a fever in the morning, but was eating that afternoon - but in the evening she noticed he was non-responsive and took him to the hospital where he died 1 hour later.

I don't believe this. That is way to quick.