USA - Texas: Public Health department confirmed H1N1pdm09 outbreak - in Houston area media report of 13 fatalities - Montgomery county health says 2 confirmed H1N1pdm09

[Pathfinder]

Related? US, Texas: Unidentified Illness (fatal) - 2 died, 1 critical - May 2013

Mystery illness claims 4 lives in Montgomery County

<!-- end of belo media div -->by Drew Karedes / KHOU 11 News
khou.com
Posted on December 16, 2013 at 10:22 PM
Updated yesterday at 10:40 PM

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas -- Officials with the Montgomery County Health Department are on a mission to find out more about a mystery flu-like illness.

So far, half of the people who have come down with it have died.

According to the health department, all of the patients have had flu-like and/or pneumonia like symptoms. However, all of them have tested negative for the flu.

There have been eight confirmed patients ranging in age from 41 to 68. Four of those patients have died.

Sources told KHOU that two of the surviving patients are being treated at Conroe Regional Medical Center and are “very sick”.

...

http://www.khou.com/news/local/Mystery-illness-claims-4-lives-in-Montgomery-County-236139491.html

[sharon sanders]

Re: USA - Texas: Media report: Unidentified illness - 4 died out of 8 hospitalized including 2 &quot;very sick&quot;

This area is about 20 miles north of the city of Houston and is considered to be in the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area.




image hat tip wikipedia

[Pathfinder]

Re: USA - Texas: Media report: Unidentified illness - 4 died out of 8 hospitalized including 2 &quot;very sick&quot;

<IFRAME height=360 src="//www.youtube.com/embed/dxojmWm7hnM" frameBorder=0 width=640 allowfullscreen></IFRAME>

Mystery illness claims 4 lives in Montgomery County

[sharon sanders]

Re: USA - Texas: Media report: Unidentified illness - 4 died out of 8 hospitalized including 2 &quot;very sick&quot;

The reporter in the video in the above post says "sources" mention kidney failure in these patients.

[sharon sanders]

Re: USA - Texas: Media report: Unidentified illness - 4 died out of 8 hospitalized including 2 &quot;very sick&quot;

I called the Montgomery county health department and left a message with a person there for the public information officer to call me back.

[sharon sanders]

Re: USA - Texas: Media report: Unidentified illness - 4 died out of 8 hospitalized including 2 &quot;very sick&quot;

The public information officer returned my call:

1) In "about an hour" a medical officer for Montgomery county will hold a press conference at 1400 S. Loop 336 West, Conroe, Texas.

2) There will be no news feed so only local media can attend the above briefing.

3) She is emailing me a press release and I will post it here when I receive it. There is nothing on the department site yet.

[sharon sanders]

Re: USA - Texas: Media report: Unidentified illness - 4 died out of 8 hospitalized including 2 &quot;very sick&quot;

I have not received the press release yet so I sent some questions that will hopefully be addressed in the press conference due to start soon:

From: FluTrackers <flutrackers@earthlink.net>
To: "Nichols,Jennifer" <jnichols@mchd-tx.org>
Subject: Re: Hi from Sharon Sanders
Date: Dec 17, 2013 12:38 PM

Thanks Jennifer!

Some of our questions:

1) What diseases/conditions have been ruled out via testing? Is this possibly the new coronavirus commonly referred to as MERS/COV?

2) What diseases/conditions are being considered?

3) What are the onset and hospitalization dates for the patients?

4) Are they in isolation?

5) Are the patients related or connected in any way?

6) How many contacts are being screened or monitored?

7) Is kidney failure a common symptom? What else is common?

8) Do any of the cases exhibit any hemorrhagic symptoms?

[Pathfinder]

Re: USA - Texas: Media report: Unidentified illness - 4 died out of 8 hospitalized including 2 &quot;very sick&quot;

Mystery illness kills 4 patients in Montgomery County

Updated at 11:23 AM today

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A mystery illness is going around in Montgomery County, and health officials are trying to figure out what it is, and why four people have died.

Authorities say that in the 2013 influenza season there have been 1,920 cases of influezna-like illnesses within Montgomery County. Montgomery County Public Health District was alerted to eight severe cases at an area facility. Of the eight cases reported, four patients have died.

Currently officials say no diagnosis has been made. Those affected are experiencing flu-like symptoms but have tested negative for common flu strains. The patients are at an unnamed area hospital waiting for further lab test results to determine the nature of the illness.
...

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/health&id=9363452

[Vibrant62]

Re: USA - Texas: Media report: Unidentified illness - 4 died out of 8 hospitalized including 2 &quot;very sick&quot;

One would hope that they are considering and testing for NCoV. Texas has oil links, and I would expect high footfall to and from the Middle East. It is certainly one possiblity that should be ruled out.

[sharon sanders]

Re: USA - Texas: Media report: Unidentified illness - 4 died out of 8 hospitalized including 2 &quot;very sick&quot;

via email


Contact: Jennifer Nichols-Contella FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cell: (936) 444-9724 12/17/13
Email: jnichols@mchd-tx.org

INFLUENZA LIKE ILLNESS ARISES IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY

For the 2013 influenza season there have been 1920 influenza-like-illnesses (ILI) within Montgomery County. Montgomery County Public Health District was alerted of eight cases at an area facility due to the severity of the cases. Of the eight reported, four patients have died.
At the moment, no diagnosis has been made. Those affected are experiencing flu-like symptoms but have tested negative for common flu strains. The patients are currently housed at an area hospital awaiting further laboratory test results in an effort to determine the nature of the illness. Montgomery County Public Health District officials are monitoring the situation closely and will provide more information as it arises.
It is important to remember that during any influenza season that common infection control practices are the best way to prevent the spread of infection. This includes:
? Frequent hand washing with soap and water/hand sanitizer
? Coughing or sneezing into a bent elbow to avoid contamination of the hands
? Avoiding public places if you have a fever (a temperature of 100.4? f)
? Avoid sending sick children to school
? Adults should avoid going to work or public places if they have fever or ILI symptoms; if they must go to work or public places, they should wear a mask
? If you develop ILI symptoms, you should seek care by a physician because treatment for influenza is most helpful within the first 48 hours of the illness

[sharon sanders]

Re: USA - Texas: Media report: Unidentified illness - 4 died out of 8 hospitalized including 2 &quot;very sick&quot;

We know this from the news reports already.

[sharon sanders]

Re: USA - Texas: Media report: Unidentified illness - 4 died out of 8 hospitalized including 2 &quot;very sick&quot;

I have not received the press release yet so I sent some questions that will hopefully be addressed in the press conference due to start soon:

From: FluTrackers <flutrackers@earthlink.net>
To: "Nichols,Jennifer" <jnichols@mchd-tx.org>
Subject: Re: Hi from Sharon Sanders
Date: Dec 17, 2013 12:38 PM

Thanks Jennifer!

Some of our questions:

1) What diseases/conditions have been ruled out via testing? Is this possibly the new coronavirus commonly referred to as MERS/COV?

2) What diseases/conditions are being considered?

3) What are the onset and hospitalization dates for the patients?

4) Are they in isolation?

5) Are the patients related or connected in any way?

6) How many contacts are being screened or monitored?

7) Is kidney failure a common symptom? What else is common?

8) Do any of the cases exhibit any hemorrhagic symptoms?

From: FluTrackers <flutrackers@earthlink.net>
To: Jennifer Nicholls <jnichols@mchd-tx.org>
Subject: Re: Hi from Sharon Sanders - A re-submittal of questions regarding unknown ILI illness
Date: Dec 17, 2013 2:19 PM

Hi please see below for our questions.

An added question: 9) Any notable travel history for any of the patients?


Thanks!

Sharon

[Giuseppe]

Re: USA - Texas: Media report: Unidentified illness - 4 died out of 8 hospitalized including 2 &quot;very sick&quot;

We had a scenario like this in Alabama recently. It may be useful to trace back that thread.

[Giuseppe]

Re: USA - Texas: Media report: Unidentified illness - 4 died out of 8 hospitalized including 2 &quot;very sick&quot;

We had a scenario like this in Alabama recently. It may be useful to trace back that thread.

See this thread for the Alabama 'cluster': http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=206175

[sharon sanders]

Re: USA - Texas: Media report: Unidentified illness - 4 died out of 8 hospitalized including 2 &quot;very sick&quot;

submitted question by a friend of FT:


From: FluTrackers <flutrackers@earthlink.net>
To: Jennifer Nicholls <jnichols@mchd-tx.org>
Subject: Re: Hi from Sharon Sanders - A re-submittal of questions regarding unknown ILI illness + 1 additional question......
Date: Dec 17, 2013 2:53 PM

10) How many of the cases exhibit neurological symptoms?


Thanks!