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Source: http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapi..._its_firs.html
Ottawa County reports its first swine flu death more than a week after 54-year-old Holland man dies
By Barton Deiters | The Grand Rapids Press
October 29, 2009, 9:00AM
HOLLAND -- The Ottawa County Health Department today confirmed the death of a person found to have the H1N1 flu virus.
A department spokesperson says an unidentified 54-year-old Holland man died more than a week ago at Holland Hospital.
Although the man was found to have the H1N1 virus, there were underlying factors that caused his death, according to Shannon Felgner of the health department.
"We decided not to release the information (to the general public) because we didn't want people to panic," Felgner said.
That stance is a departure from how some other counties handle such cases.
The Kent County Health Department last Friday announced it's first H1N1-related death.
Cynthia Luke, 52, of Cutlerville, died Oct. 21 from heart disease and other health problems compounded by H1N1 flu.
So far 10 H1N1-related deaths have been reported in Michigan, which is in the midst of an outbreak of the flu. The MDOC has reported Kent County has had 12,168 cases of H1N1 and Ottawa has 1,214 since Oct. 11.
E-mail Barton Deiters: bdeiters@grpress.com
Ottawa County reports its first swine flu death more than a week after 54-year-old Holland man dies
By Barton Deiters | The Grand Rapids Press
October 29, 2009, 9:00AM
HOLLAND -- The Ottawa County Health Department today confirmed the death of a person found to have the H1N1 flu virus.
A department spokesperson says an unidentified 54-year-old Holland man died more than a week ago at Holland Hospital.
Although the man was found to have the H1N1 virus, there were underlying factors that caused his death, according to Shannon Felgner of the health department.
"We decided not to release the information (to the general public) because we didn't want people to panic," Felgner said.
That stance is a departure from how some other counties handle such cases.
The Kent County Health Department last Friday announced it's first H1N1-related death.
Cynthia Luke, 52, of Cutlerville, died Oct. 21 from heart disease and other health problems compounded by H1N1 flu.
So far 10 H1N1-related deaths have been reported in Michigan, which is in the midst of an outbreak of the flu. The MDOC has reported Kent County has had 12,168 cases of H1N1 and Ottawa has 1,214 since Oct. 11.
E-mail Barton Deiters: bdeiters@grpress.com