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Source: http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/article_c0d2929c-bff7-11de-ad26-001cc4c002e0.html
56-year-old woman is McLean Co.'s 1st H1N1-related death
By Paul Swiech | pswiech@pantagraph.com | Posted: Friday, October 23, 2009 12:15 pm
BLOOMINGTON -- A 56-year-old woman has died in McLean County's first H1N1 influenza-related fatality.
The woman died Thursday of the novel virus, county health department director Walt Howe confirmed Friday. She had been admitted to a local hospital a week ago and transferred to its intensive care unit Monday.
The woman had underlying medical conditions, said Howe, who didn't know specifics of the conditions.
The county is up to 22 confirmed cases of H1N1. But health officials have said many more people have the novel influenza. The confirmed cases are of people who have been hospitalized and had a test confirming that they have the virus.
"It is likely we will see additional cases," Howe said.
Bloomington-Normal hospitals are treating an increasing number of patients with H1N1, said Eric Alvin of BroMenn Regional Medical Center in Normal and Christy McFarland of OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington.
Those patients are in isolation, meaning they are in private rooms away from other patients and visitors are limited. Visitors must wear masks and health care workers treating the patients wear masks, gloves and gowns.
Statewide, 542 patients have been hospitalized with H1N1 and 22 of those people have died, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
As the number of people with influenza-like illness continues to rise, Howe urged people to wash their hands frequently and thoroughly, cover their coughs and sneezes with their sleeve and stay home when they're sick.
Symptoms of H1N1 are similar to seasonal influenza and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headaches, chills and fatigue. Anyone with those symptoms should call their doctor.
People in a priority group eligible for the H1N1 vaccine should get it, Howe said. The health department has its second, walk-in, H1N1 flu shot clinic noon to 6 p.m. Thursday at the Interstate Center, 2301 W. Market St., Bloomington.
Priority groups are pregnant women, people who live with or care for infants younger than 6 months old, anyone from 6 months through 24 years old, and adults from 25 through 64 with certain chronic medical conditions or a weakened immune system.
Seasonal influenza also kills people each year. While McLean County numbers weren't immediately available Friday, about 36,000 people nationwide die each year of seasonal flu, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
56-year-old woman is McLean Co.'s 1st H1N1-related death
By Paul Swiech | pswiech@pantagraph.com | Posted: Friday, October 23, 2009 12:15 pm
BLOOMINGTON -- A 56-year-old woman has died in McLean County's first H1N1 influenza-related fatality.
The woman died Thursday of the novel virus, county health department director Walt Howe confirmed Friday. She had been admitted to a local hospital a week ago and transferred to its intensive care unit Monday.
The woman had underlying medical conditions, said Howe, who didn't know specifics of the conditions.
The county is up to 22 confirmed cases of H1N1. But health officials have said many more people have the novel influenza. The confirmed cases are of people who have been hospitalized and had a test confirming that they have the virus.
"It is likely we will see additional cases," Howe said.
Bloomington-Normal hospitals are treating an increasing number of patients with H1N1, said Eric Alvin of BroMenn Regional Medical Center in Normal and Christy McFarland of OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington.
Those patients are in isolation, meaning they are in private rooms away from other patients and visitors are limited. Visitors must wear masks and health care workers treating the patients wear masks, gloves and gowns.
Statewide, 542 patients have been hospitalized with H1N1 and 22 of those people have died, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
As the number of people with influenza-like illness continues to rise, Howe urged people to wash their hands frequently and thoroughly, cover their coughs and sneezes with their sleeve and stay home when they're sick.
Symptoms of H1N1 are similar to seasonal influenza and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headaches, chills and fatigue. Anyone with those symptoms should call their doctor.
People in a priority group eligible for the H1N1 vaccine should get it, Howe said. The health department has its second, walk-in, H1N1 flu shot clinic noon to 6 p.m. Thursday at the Interstate Center, 2301 W. Market St., Bloomington.
Priority groups are pregnant women, people who live with or care for infants younger than 6 months old, anyone from 6 months through 24 years old, and adults from 25 through 64 with certain chronic medical conditions or a weakened immune system.
Seasonal influenza also kills people each year. While McLean County numbers weren't immediately available Friday, about 36,000 people nationwide die each year of seasonal flu, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.