BC - first H1N1 deaths

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http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2009-2013/2009HLS0008-000102.htm


July 14, 2009
Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport
BC Centre for Disease Control




BRITISH COLUMBIA HAS FIRST H1N1-CONFIRMED DEATH



VICTORIA ? A young child from the Fraser Health region is the first known person in British Columbia to die from the pandemic H1N1 influenza virus, while a young woman in the same health region has also died in connection with the H1N1 influenza outbreak.



?Any death is a tragedy, and I extend my sympathies to the families at this very difficult time,? said provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall. ?As unfortunate and tragic as these cases are, it was not unexpected that British Columbia would see some deaths caused by or associated with the H1N1 flu virus.?



The child, who had underlying medical conditions increasing the risk of influenza complications, was admitted to hospital on Sunday and died within 24 hours of admission. Testing has confirmed the child did have the H1N1 flu virus.



The woman, who also had an underlying medical condition, was admitted to hospital last Wednesday. Although this patient was not confirmed to have the H1N1 flu virus herself, she resided with a person who did have the virus.



?These severe outcomes of the pandemic are a reminder that influenza is not to be trivialized,? said Dr. Danuta Skowronski, physician epidemiologist at the BC Centre for Disease Control. ?It is important that people continue to take precautions to protect themselves and others. That means frequent hand washing, staying home if they?re sick, coughing or sneezing into the crook of the elbow sleeve and seeking care early in the case of underlying conditions or pregnancy.?



So far, illness caused by the H1N1 flu virus is not substantially different than regular seasonal influenza, which itself can result in between 400 and 800 deaths in British Columbia each year. Currently, there have been a total of 382 confirmed H1N1 cases in B.C., with 191 of those occurring in the Fraser Health region. Overall, 14 patients with H1N1 have been admitted to hospital and five of those 14 have been admitted to the intensive care unit.



For factsheets, resources, updates and more information on how to protect yourself against the H1N1 flu virus, visit www.gov.bc.ca/swineflu.

 

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Re: BC - first H1N1 deaths

Seven-year-old has died from H1N1 in Metro Vancouver
First death associated to H1N1 in BC


VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - A seven-year-old from Metro Vancouver has died from the H1N1 virus. It's the first confirmed death connected to the flu in B.C.

The B.C. Centre for Disease Control says the child, who had underlying health conditions, went to the hospital on Sunday and died within 24 hours of being admitted. The B.C.C.D.C. is only saying the child who died came from the Fraser Health Region.

A young woman from Metro Vancouver has also died in connection with the swine flu, but it's not yet confirmed if she had the disease.

Provincial Health Officer Doctor Perry Kendall has this warning for those who think they're experiencing symptoms. "We are recommending you call your health care practitioner and discuss whether you should be getting anti-viral drugs, because we do know that early treatment with anti-viral drugs will limit the illness and certainly reduce the possibility of complications."

Kendall says swine flu deaths were not unexpected, but adds most cases are mild. He expects more cases to emerge as flu season takes hold in the fall. Regular flu claims up to 800 lives a year in B.C. There are 382 swine flu cases confirmed in B.C. Fourteen patients have required hospitalization, while five have been sent to the intensive care unit.

 

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Re: BC - first H1N1 deaths

http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_area/peacearchnews/news/50860622.html

Surrey boy dies from H1N1 virus

A seven-year-old boy from Surrey has died from the pandemic H1N1 influenza outbreak, more commonly referred to as swine flu.

The boy, who has not been named, is the first known person in the province to die from the virus.

CTV News is reporting the child is from Surrey.

On Sunday, he was admitted to B.C. Children's Hospital in Vancouver and died 24 hours later. CTV is also reporting he was severely disabled.

"As unfortunate and tragic as these cases are, it was not unexpected that British Columbia would see some deaths caused by or associated with the H1N1 flu virus," provincial health officer Perry Kendall said in a statement. ?Any death is a tragedy, and I extend my sympathies to the families at this very difficult time.?

Epidemiologist with the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, Dr. Danuta Skowronski, said the disease should not be underestimated.

"These severe outcomes of the pandemic are a reminder that influenza is not to be trivialized," said Skowronski. "It is important that people continue to take precautions to protect themselves and others. That means frequent hand washing, staying home if they're sick, coughing or sneezing into the crook of the elbow sleeve and seeking care early in the case of underlying conditions or pregnancy."

There have been 382 confirmed cases of the H1N1 influenza virus in B.C. Fourteen people were admitted to hospital, and five of those were admitted to an intensive care unit.

There have been 43 H1N1 fatalities in Canada.

 

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Re: BC - first H1N1 deaths

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNe...C_influenza_report_090714/20090715?hub=Health

Boy, 7, first to die in B.C. from H1N1 virus
Updated Wed. Jul. 15 2009 12:15 AM ET

The Canadian Press

Health officials in B.C. have confirmed the province's first death associated with swine flu, raising the national tally to 43.

A seven-year-old boy, who had underlying medical conditions, was admitted to hospital on Sunday and died within 24 hours of admission. Testing confirmed the child did have the H1N1 virus.

"We've confirmed the first known H1N1-linked death in our province," said Roy Wadia, spokesman for the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

Wadia said a second British Columbian, also from the province's Fraser Valley, likely had H1N1 when she too passed away. But the young woman, who lived with someone diagnosed with the virus, was not confirmed to have the flu herself.

"If she had been tested (before she died) for H1N1, she may have been confirmed as a case but we'll never really know and so she wouldn't be counted as part of the official tally," he said.

"It is likely she had H1N1 but it hasn't been confirmed."

There have been 382 confirmed H1N1 cases in B.C. overall. Fourteen of those patients have been admitted to hospital and five of those 14 have been admitted to the intensive care unit.

Provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall said any death is a tragedy and extended his sympathies to the families.

Kendall said health officials anticipated there would be some deaths in B.C.

"As unfortunate and tragic as these cases are, it was not unexpected that British Columbia would see some deaths caused by or associated with the H1N1 flu virus," Kendall said in a statement.

When asked how B.C. managed to fend off its first death as long as it did, Wadia said there were a number of factors at play.

Good fortune

"Certainly, we have been encouraging people since the early days of the outbreak to come forward and get tested, especially in the first few months when the cases were more travel-linked," he said.

"And so it may well be that our system has been able to catch cases early in the game. It's also a combination of good fortunate, as well."

Earlier Tuesday, health officials in Quebec reported another death in that province associated with the swine flu.

Officials said the victim was a woman in her 60s from the Montreal area who had underlying medical conditions.

Quebec now has 16 deaths and more than 2,200 confirmed cases of H1N1.

Across Canada, there have been more than 9,700 cases of the virus since the outbreak began, with most being mild.

There have also been 14 deaths in Ontario, six in Manitoba, three in Saskatchewan and three in Alberta.

Nationwide, the common flu sends about 20,000 Canadians to hospital each year.

The Public Health Agency's website says between 4,000 and 8,000 Canadians can die of influenza and its complications annually, depending on the severity of the season.

With a report by CTV British Columbia's Dr. Rhonda Low