Alberta confirms first H1N1 flu fatality

[pablomorgan]

Health officials confirmed on Friday that swine flu contributed to the death of an Albertan woman, but note she had pre-existing medical conditions.

The death, which occurred on April 28, is one of nine new cases in Alberta today.

Although her exact age is not yet clear, it is believed she is around 40.

Officials ordered further testing of the woman after they learned on May 5 she had been in contact with a family member who had a mild form of the H1N1 virus.

Late on May 7, the Provincial Laboratory of Alberta confirmed the deceased had contracted the same virus.

Officials are conducting further tests to pinpoint what role the virus played in the death.

Dr. Andr? Corriveau, the chief medical officer of health for Alberta, said all measures have been taken to protect the community. The relative is recovering at home.

"I want to express my sympathy to the family at this difficult time. And I want to assure them and their community that we are already responding, in a co-ordinated, measured way to notify and give medical advice to everyone who attended the wake last week and anyone else who may have been exposed," Corriveau said.

"It's important to remember, as a larger public health issue, that every year, 4,000 Canadians die from the flu and a high percentage of them have underlying conditions that play a large part in making them susceptible to serious consequences when they get the flu."

As of May 7, Canada has reported 214 cases in nine provinces.

In the United States, authorities reported Thursday they have 1,823 confirmed and probable cases in 44 states.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNe...508/h1n1_death_090508/20090508?hub=TopStories

 

[pablomorgan]

Re: Alberta confirms first H1N1 flu fatality

EDMONTON -- The death of a northern Alberta woman last week is Canada's first associated with swine flu, but no one knows if H1N1 killed her, officials said Friday.

The woman, identified by family members as a 39-year-old who checked herself into hospital in High Prairie, Alta., with asthma problems, died April 28. Doctors didn't suspect the flu virus. On May 5, her mother, who shared a house with her on a northern Alberta Metis settlement, was found to have a mild form of the disease caused by the H1N1 virus. That's when the provincial government took a closer look.

On May 7, a provincial lab confirmed the dead woman had the same virus, Alberta officials said Friday.

Nurses are now in the remote northern Alberta community about 350 kilometres northwest of Edmonton to help monitor the situation. About 300 people attended the woman's wake last week, and they are being advised to contact public health officials if they start feeling sick.

Those with other medical problems who get sick are being treated with Tamiflu, an anti-influenza drug.

"I want to express my sympathy to the family at this difficult time, and I want to assure them and their community that we are already responding in a co-ordinated, measured way to notify and give medical advice to everyone who attended the wake last week and anyone else who may have been exposed," said Dr. Andre Corriveau, Alberta's chief medical officer of health.

Dr. Gerry Predy, senior medical officer of health for Alberta Health Services, said it won't be known until next week if the woman died from the flu or from complications from her existing medical problems. Neither the dead woman nor her relative diagnosed with swine flu have any history of travel to or from Mexico.
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=1577534

 

[HenryN]

Re: Alberta confirms first H1N1 flu fatality

Swine flu confirmed in Alberta woman who died



By Jodie Sinnema and Andrew Mayeda, Canwest News ServiceMay 10, 2009


EDMONTON - The death of a northern Alberta woman last week is Canada's first associated with swine flu, but no one knows if H1N1 killed her, officials said Friday.
The woman, identified by family members as a 39-year-old who checked herself into hospital in High Prairie, Alta., with asthma problems, died April 28. Doctors didn't suspect the flu virus. On May 5, her mother, who shared a house with her on a northern Alberta Metis settlement, was found to have a mild form of the disease caused by the H1N1 virus. That's when the provincial government took a closer look.
On May 7, a provincial lab confirmed the dead woman had the same virus, Alberta officials said Friday.
Nurses are now in the remote northern Alberta community about 350 kilometres northwest of Edmonton to help monitor the situation. About 300 people attended the woman's wake last week, and they are being advised to contact public health officials if they start feeling sick.
Those with other medical problems who get sick are being treated with Tamiflu, an anti-influenza drug.
``I want to express my sympathy to the family at this difficult time, and I want to assure them and their community that we are already responding in a co- ordinated, measured way to notify and give medical advice to everyone who attended the wake last week and anyone else who may have been exposed,'' said Dr. Andre Corriveau, Alberta's chief medical officer of health.
Dr. Gerry Predy, senior medical officer of health for Alberta Health Services, said it won't be known until next week if the woman died from the flu or from complications from her existing medical problems. Neither the dead woman nor her relative diagnosed with swine flu have any history of travel to or from Mexico.
Corriveau said there should be no cause for immediate concern in Alberta or across Canada.
``On the big picture, one (death) is a small number,'' he said. ``All deaths come as a surprise.''
A typical seasonal flu makes thousands of Canadians sick and kills an average of 4,000 Canadians every year - about 26 of them Albertans.
The death is making Alberta look like a flu hot spot, however. The province also recorded the first hospitalization due to swine flu - a young girl whose condition is improving and is expected to be released from hospital in Edmonton soon - and the first instance of the new flu strain being found in pigs.
Officials have not released the woman's name or where she died. The relative who had the same virus is recovering.
In all but two of the cases in Canada, the patients have recovered at home.
On Friday, the Public Health Agency of Canada reported 28 new cases of swine flu, bringing Canada's total to 242. One new case was confirmed in Prince Edward Island, three in Nova Scotia, four in Quebec, five in Ontario, nine in Alberta and six in British Columbia.
Quebec public-health authorities said three of the patients who caught the flu have no history of travel and caught the virus in their community. The fourth case is a high school student who recently travelled to New York City.
Alain Poirier, director of Quebec's Public Health Department, stressed all the cases are mild and the virus doesn't appear to be virulent in the province.
As of Saturday, the World Health Organization had confirmed 3,440 cases worldwide in 29 countries, with Argentina, Australia, Japan and Panama all reporting their first confirmed cases. Forty-five deaths have been confirmed in Mexico and two in the United States.
Sylvie Briand, acting director of the global influenza program, said results from Mexico suggest there are two main groups of people who have died from swine flu.
Most were individuals with other underlying chronic conditions such as diabetes, tuberculosis or cardiovascular disease.
However, some patients who died were otherwise healthy young people whose health quickly deteriorated after catching swine flu. Most such patients died from acute pneumonia, said Briand, adding research into the deaths continues.
Edmonton Journal/Canwest News Service, with files from Marianne White
jsinnema@thejournal.canwest.com

http://www.canada.com/Health/Swine+confirmed+Alberta+woman+died/1582236/story.html