First New Jersey H1N1 Death

[wotan]

http://cbs3.com/wireapnewsnj/New.Jersey.reports.2.1045194.html

Health officials say New Jersey has seen its first swine flu-related death.
No details on the death were immediately available, but Health and Senior Services Commissioner Heather Howard has called an afternoon news conference to discuss the case.
As of Sunday, the Garden State had reported 235 confirmed cases and 113 probable ones.
Monmouth County has the most ? 29 confirmed cases ? followed by 27 in Essex and Morris counties and 26 in Bergen County. No cases have been confirmed in the southern Jersey counties of Cape May, Gloucester and Salem.
Last week, the World Health Organization declared swine flu a pandemic, the first global flu epidemic in 41 years.

[Shiloh]

Re: First New Jersey H1N1 Death

Source: http://bergennow.com/index.php/20090...influenza.html

NJ Health Commissioner confirms state's first swine flu death; 26 cases confirmed in Bergen

Bergen County News
By Carmine DeMarco
Monday, June 15, 2009, 01:41 PM

swine flu cases in New Jersey
NJ first swine flu death
TRENTON, NJ - New Jersey State Health and Senior Services Commissioner Heather Howard and State Epidemiologist Dr. Christina Tan will hold a press conference on Monday at 3:00 p.m. to answer questions and provide information on New Jersey's first H1N1 influenza death.

There are 26 confirmed cases in Bergen County, 23 confirmed cases in Hudson County, and 20 confirmed cases in Passaic County.

The current case count of confirmed cases in New Jersey, broken down by county, is as follows (as of 6/10/09 3:30 p.m.):

* Atlantic - 2
* Bergen - 26
* Burlington - 9
* Camden - 9
* Cape May - 0
* Cumberland - 1
* Essex - 27
* Gloucester - 0
* Hudson - 23
* Hunterdon - 1
* Mercer - 15
* Middlesex - 10
* Monmouth - 29
* Morris - 27
* Ocean - 5
* Passaic - 20
* Salem - 0
* Somerset - 11
* Sussex - 3
* Union - 7
* Warren - 10

NJ Total - 235
Probable - 113

Consistent with changes being made by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the New Jersey DHSS will update the H1N1 influenza case count weekly.

"Now that H1N1 influenza is present in all regions of New Jersey, we are focusing our efforts on trying to better understand how the disease is spreading", said Deputy Commissioner Dr. Susan Walsh. "People at high risk for complications from flu - whether it's H1N1 or another type - may require treatment with antiviral medications and closer observation."

"Now that H1N1 influenza is present in 18 counties, the Department's focus has shifted to monitor its course in order to assess changing patterns and virulence in preparation for the fall influenza season", said Dr. Walsh.

The DHSS expects New Jersey to see additional cases of H1N1 influenza. Samples arrive for testing daily and anaylized to determine whether they meet the CDC case definition for confirmed or probable cases.

[colormyquilt]

Re: First New Jersey H1N1 Death

"49 year old male became ill on 30 May, entered Mountainside Hospital on 2 June and died on 13 June 2009...multiple underlying conditions..."

at link:

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/06/new_jersey_reports_first_swine.html

[Shiloh]

Re: First New Jersey H1N1 Death

Source: http://www.nj.com/news/local/index.s...sex_count.html

Orange pastoral associate identified as victim of first N.J. swine-flu death
by Mark Mueller/The Star-Ledger
Tuesday June 16, 2009, 6:22 PM

ORANGE -- For a quarter century, Michael Reiser devoted his life to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Orange, serving as a youth minister, as musical director and, most recently, as a full-time pastoral associate who worked to strengthen the faith among the parish's 435 Catholic families.

Today, those families were mourning Reiser, the first person in New Jersey to die of complications from the H1N1 virus, or swine flu. The state Department of Health and Senior Services disclosed the death Monday. Reiser, 49, of West Orange, was identified by name today.


Jim Goodness, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Newark, called Reiser an integral part of the Essex County parish, which is struggling not only with the man's death but with the manner in which he died.

Orange health officials have been monitoring those who came in contact with Reiser but have so far found no one exhibiting symptoms of the virus, which has swept across the globe since emerging in Mexico two months ago. More than 17,000 people in the United States alone have been sickened.

"As sad as it is that we're talking about Michael's passing, it's fortunate that there's been no indication of anything like a pocket in the area," Goodness said. "It's an isolated case."

Reiser, who had several underlying health conditions, died Saturday at Mountainside Hospital in Glen Ridge, state health officials have said. He was admitted to the hospital June 2, several days after developing a high fever and respiratory problems.

While several members of the parish traveled to Mexico last month to perform missionary work, none of those who made the trip has shown signs of infection, said Goodness, dismissing the mission as the source of Reiser's illness.

"It's not like you get swine flu and don't show symptoms," the spokesman said. "These guys didn't even get a cold."

Reiser did not travel to Mexico, Goodness said.

Parishioners and church officials declined to comment today, referring questions to Goodness, who said Reiser's most lasting contribution may have been through his music.

Reiser, he said, remained deeply involved in the music program even after he stepped down from the post of music director, using his talents to unify an ethnically diverse parish that includes Haitians, Latinos and a dwindling number of Italian-Americans who once formed the church's core membership, Goodness said.

"He incorporated different musical styles and different musical traditions," the spokesman said. "He was in constant dialogue with the different groups so they really felt they were one community. They were not separated by where they had come from or their immigration status. That, I think, is going to be his legacy."

An organist, Reiser was known beyond Our Lady of Carmel and frequently performed at other area churches, Goodness said. Reiser, who was single, had also previously been involved in the church's youth ministry.

In his most recent post of pastoral associate, Reiser sought to help the pastor develop and build the faith among parishioners, Goodness said. A funeral for Reiser has been scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Friday at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, at 103 S. Center St. in Orange.

By Monday, New Jersey had recorded at least 320 confirmed cases and 194 likely cases of swine flu, state health officials said. Donna Leusner, a Health Department spokeswoman, said updated figures are due out Wednesday.