Clay County sees its first H1N1 flu death

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.kansascity.com/news/break...y/1493090.html


Posted on Tue, Oct. 06, 2009 12:14 PM
Clay County sees its first H1N1 flu death

Clay County health officials announced today its first H1N1 flu-related death.

The 41-year-old man had underlying health issues. The case has been referred to CDC for further analysis and review, said Gary E. Zaborac, the county?s public health director.

The victim?s name was not released and no other details about the death were immediately available.

?Although this is the first fatality recorded in Clay County where the official cause of death is listed as H1N1, we are reminded that the H1N1 flu has been present in our area for several months and continues to be persistent throughout our area and across the country,? Zaborac said in a written statement.

In September, a 24-year-old Independence woman died as the result of the H1N1 virus.

| Glenn E. Rice, grice@kcstar.com.

[oldman]

Re: Clay County sees its first H1N1 flu death

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The wife of a Clay County man who died after catching the H1N1 flu said health officials need to tell the truth about the potentially deadly virus.

Bev Chapman/KMBC
Bill Clark

Clay County reported the death Tuesday, saying the 41-year-old man had underlying health issues.

But Bill Clark's wife told KMBC's Bev Chapman that her husband was a very healthy man who started suffering organ failure shortly after getting the flu. She said he had a mild blood-pressure problem that was controlled with medication.

Clark was a self-employed financial advisor.

His wife said he was the kind of man who would want people to know that the flu can be fatal to people regardless of whether they have underlying health problems.

Kansas City Health Department Director Rex Archer said deaths from the flu are probably under reported.

"A certain percentage of all pneumonia deaths are due to influenza," Archer said.

But it rarely shows up that way in public health records because many doctors will report the overriding cause of death -- pneumonia -- rather than the disease that led to it.

"Influenza either tips them over the edge and causes death or leads as a precondition and puts them at risk for bacterial infection," Archer said.

Pregnant women who get the flu are six times more likely to be hospitalized or die from the flu. Asthma patients, people who have suffered congestive heart failure, diabetics or anyone who has an immune-system problem are at greater risk.

Chapman reported that the message from Clark's family is that it can happen to anyone.

"(He) was just full of life and energy. In fact, we all had trouble keeping up with him," said the Rev. Kevin Jerls of Northland Abundant Life Church.

Clay County health officials said that Clark's death has been referred to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for further analysis.