4-year-old may be swine flu's latest victim in Fort Worth

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[SIZE=+2]4-year-old may be swine flu's latest victim in Fort Worth 8:25 AM CT
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[SIZE=-1]09:24 AM CDT on Friday, October 16, 2009

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[SIZE=-1]By CHRIS DELL / The Dallas Morning News [/SIZE]

The swine flu virus may have claimed a second victim in the Fort Worth school district.

The Fort Worth ISD reported this week that a student became ill and last attended school on Oct. 9. The district did not identify the school or the student.

KDFW-TV reported the girl was 4-year-old Yeimi Sierra Reyes. The Tarrant County medical examiner's office said the girl died Wednesday but did not list a cause of death.

The school district said in a statement that it had no information regarding the cause of death but that custodial staff was sanitizing the school.

"This step was taken strictly as a measure of assuring our parents, staff and students that we are mindful of their safety in all situations," the school district said.

KDFW-TV reported that Yeimi began experiencing flu-like symptoms Monday, including fever, chills and difficulty breathing. The girl?s family told the television station that she had no underlying medical conditions.

In September, a Fort Worth ISD student died of swine flu. The family of Chloe Lindsey, a 14-year-old at Leonard Middle School, said the girl had no underlying medical conditions.

On Wednesday, Tarrant County health officials reported the death of another swine flu victim ? a man in his 50s.


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Re: 4-year-old may be swine flu's latest victim in Fort Worth

Source: http://www.star-telegram.com/health/story/1692082.html#tvg

Cause of death undetermined for 4-year-old girl who died suddenly
Posted Friday, Oct. 16, 2009

By EVA-MARIE AYALA

eayala@star-telegram.com

FORT WORTH ? A 4-year-old girl who died after a sudden illness this week was a pre-kindergarten student at Carter Park Elementary School.

The cause of death of Yeimi Sierra Reyes, who died Wednesday, has not been determined, according to the Tarrant County medical examiner?s Web site.

Because H1N1 tests were not performed before she died, the medical examiner?s office has performed an autopsy. And if results indicate that she had a viral illness, samples will be sent to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta for testing for the H1N1 virus, Marc Flake, a spokesman for Tarrant County Public Health, said Friday.

Results could take several weeks, Flake said.

Yeimi had not been in school since Oct. 9, school officials said. Letters were sent to families of other students at the school to tell them of her death and what steps were being taken.

Carter Park Principal Blaine Buchenau signed the letters, which describe Yeimi as "a warm and friendly student who will be missed sincerely."

Carter Park was to be thoroughly cleaned, including classrooms and lockers, according to a news release. Grief counselors are available, officials said.

Carter Park?s attendance was about 97 percent Friday.

Yeimi?s family declined to comment Friday. Vanessa Tejeda, who lives in the same apartment complex as the family, said her children, ages 7 and 9, attend Carter Park and received copies of the letter.

She said she tries to remind her children to wash their hands. Still, when illness strikes, it is "God?s will, or la voluntad de Dios," Tejeda said.

Other cases

Earlier this week, health officials confirmed the county?s second H1N1-related death, a man in his late 50s who died last week. A Benbrook middle school student, Chloe Lindsey, 14, died Sept. 27 after getting the virus.

As of the week ending Oct. 3, the state had recorded 69 H1N1-related deaths. The count does not include the Tarrant County man.

In the spring when the virus began spreading, some school districts including Fort Worth shut down. Health officials later advised schools to balance risk against community disruption in closing schools.

Fort Worth Superintendent Melody Johnson has said closings will be determined based on factors including absentee rates for students and teachers.

So far, 83 people have been hospitalized with confirmed cases countywide.

Dallas County has had nine H1N1-related deaths. By Oct. 3, the county had 227 people hospitalized this year with confirmed H1N1 virus, and about three-fourths of those patients had underlying high-risk conditions, according to public health officials.

Those with the highest risk of complications from yearly flu epidemics are children younger than 2, adults 65 or older and those with medical conditions including weakened immune systems, certain chronic diseases or diabetes, according to the World Health Organization.

Staff writer Diane Smith contributed to this report.

Six ways to fight flu Keep your hands clean.

Cover coughs and sneezes.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

Avoid close contact.

Stay home when you are sick.

Get vaccinated.

Download an H1N1 tool kit at health. tarrantcounty.com.

Source: Tarrant County Public Health

EVA-MARIE AYALA, 817-390-7700