California - Sacramento County Reports 1st H1N1 Flu Death

[Gert van der Hoek]

Sac County Reports 1st H1N1 Flu Death

Sacramento-Area Woman Dies At UC Davis

POSTED: 1:02 pm PDT June 23, 2009
UPDATED: 1:17 pm PDT June 23, 2009


SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A 24-year-old Sacramento-area woman died Tuesday at UC Davis Medical Center after being hospitalized with the H1N1 flu virus.
Sacramento County Public Health Officer Glennah Trochet confirmed the finding Tuesday.

The woman died Tuesday. She is the first person in Sacramento County to die from the H1N1 virus, and the 10th death in California from the virus.

"We anticipate that there will be more deaths throughout the United States and California before this outbreak ends. Sacramento County is seeing a lot of flu activity for this time of the year, which is why everyone should continue taking steps to prevent catching the flu," Trochet said in a statement.
There is currently no vaccine to protect against the H1N1 virus.

Sacramento County health officials advise people to take precautions against the flu such as covering your mouth when you cough and sneeze, frequent hand-washing, avoiding close contact with sick people and staying home from work or school if you are sick.

http://www.kcra.com/health/19836572/detail.html

 

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Re: California - Sacramento County Reports 1st H1N1 Flu Death

more info


First Local Swine Flu Death

Rowena Lugtu-ShaddoxStaff reporter
June 23, 2009

SACRAMENTO COUNTY - Beth Kizere's death on Tuesday, is the first in Sacramento County.

Family and friends said the 24-year-old recently lost her job and medical insurance, so she didn't seek medical attention right away.

At her mother's urging, she went to a doctor when her fever had reached 104 degrees.

But after being admitted into UC Davis Medical Center, her condition worsened despite efforts to save her.

"As a mother, you're not supposed to bury your children. I've got to do that in a few days," her mother Lynn Lane said.

Beth had recently lost her job and medical insurance. So she didn't seek medical attention right away.

Family and friends urge anyone feeling the slightest bit ill, to go see a doctor.
Copyright ? 2009, KTXL-TV


http://www.fox40.com/news/headlines/ktxl-news-firstlocalswinefludeath,0,1942562.story



and this...


Sacramento's H1N1 Virus Victim Identified
24-year-old Beth Kizere was wished a speedy recovery by friends and family online, but passed away early Tuesday morning

By: Matthew Keys
FOX40 News
June 23, 2009

Beth Kizere, 24, passed away Tuesday morning at the UCD Medical Center from the H1N1 virus (Facebook.com)

SACRAMENTO - A 24-year-old woman has become the first Sacramento County resident to die of the H1N1 "swine flu" influenza virus, according to the Sacramento Division of Public Health.

Beth Kizere of Sacramento was admitted to the hospital on June 13th and diagnosed with the H1N1 influenza virus four days later. Mason Smith, identified as Kizere's room-mate, kept friends and family updated on her status via her Facebook.com profile.

Kizere passed away from her symptoms early Tuesday morning.

"I knew you were someone special the first day I met you at work," Facebook friend Jennifer Croft wrote on Kizere's profile. "I know you are in Heaven, watching down over everything and everyone."

"Can I just pretend this isn't real?" another Facebook friend, Leia de Sha, wrote.

Friends had been sending well-wishes to Kizere for over a week online, urging a speedy recovery.

"Tragically, in this case, recovery did not occur," Dr. Glenna Trochet said in a press release issued by the Division of Public Health. "Unfortunately, we anticipate that there will be more deaths throughout the United States and California before the outbreak ends."

Kizere is the ninth person in California to die from the H1N1 virus.
Copyright ? 2009, KTXL-TV

http://www.fox40.com/news/headlines/ktxl-news-h1n1fatal0623,0,2731934.story

 

[Chuck]

Re: California - Sacramento County Reports 1st H1N1 Flu Death

http://www.sacbee.com/latest/story/1973678.html

Sacramento mom shares how swine flu felled her daughter
blinelof@sacbee.com
Published Wednesday, Jun. 24, 2009

The mother of a young Sacramento woman who died from swine flu recounted today how the fatal malady incapacitated her otherwise healthy daughter and ultimately took her life.

Lynn Lane her daughter, Beth Kizere, 24, "was very talented. The world is going to miss out on that."

Kizere who died Tuesday in the UC Davis Medical Center from the H1N1 virus, becoming the ninth person to die from swine flu in the state, first in the Sacramento region.

"She was a perfectly healthy, energetic, robust 24 year old," Lane said. Lane, who lives in the Areden-Arcade area, said it is unclear when or where the virus found Kizere, who traveled with her brother and friends to Las Vegas on June 4.

Kizere became sick during the trip, and the group returned home June 8. She was admitted to the medical center June 13.

"They thought she had pneumonia," Lane said. "But it just progressed downward. When she went in she was running a high temperature."

Tests for pneumonia were negative, so doctors continued the search for her illness, eventually determining Kizere was suffering from swine flu.

Lane said her daughter had been in good health before the Las Vegas trip and that she suffered from no chronic illnesses, unlike other victims of the virus.

Kizere, who did not have medical insurance, on Thursday was was taken to a medical clinic where she was told she had the flu. Lane said clinic personnel told her daughter to take Tylenol for the fever and cough syrup for the cough.

"But Friday night she wasn't any better, so I took her to UCD," Lane said.

"Be very aware of any symptoms that are flu-like," the Lane cautioned. "Beth had a scratchy cough and a temperature that would fluctuate. She had this dry, ticklish cough. Then the fever . . . was up there and stayed there."

She said her daughter was tired, probably from constant coughing and the fever. Kizere had no aches or pains.

"At the last, she had a headache, but she thought that was from coughing so much," Lane said.

Lane said her daughter received exemplary care at the medical center.

"They did everything possible that they could think of," said Lane, who worked in the medical field for Kaiser and Sutter hospitals for more than 30 years as a unit assistant.

Dr. Glennah Trochet, Sacramento County's public health officer, said people can impede the spread of H1N1 by hand washing, covering mouths when coughing or sneezing and staying home when sick.

"Whatever you do," said Lane, her voice breaking. "Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands. It doesn't matter how many times a day you don't think it is necessary, just do it. Because this is a very aggressive, nasty virus, and that is one way to prevent it."

She also advised people who have flu-like symptoms to insist that their doctors test for it.

Kizere had lost a job in April working in the office for a refrigeration company and was looking for work.

She had attended Sacramento-area schools, including Bella Vista High Schools.

Lane said her daughter loved to create beautiful bead work. She also loved to sculpt, draw and use the computer to produce art.

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Re: California - Sacramento County Reports 1st H1N1 Flu Death

more details on Beth Kizere



Mother details health of daughter who died of swine flu

Bill Lindelof and Loretta Kalb


July 2, 2009 5:22 AM


SACRAMENTO, Calif. - As the numbers of swine flu cases increase nationally, scientists say underlying medical conditions such as heart or lung problems, asthma and obesity have been linked to serious infections.

Lynn Lane, the mother of a 24-year-old Sacramento woman who died June 23 of the H1N1 virus, said her daughter was healthy and energetic but overweight.

Beth Kizere died in the UC Davis Medical Center after being hospitalized for 11 days. She was the ninth person in California to die of swine flu.

Lane said hospital personnel gave her daughter excellent care. She said they didn't focus on her daughter's weight or discuss a connection between H1N1 and overweight people.

''Actually, they said her being overweight was kind of a plus because she had reserve fat to sustain her'' during her illness, Lane said. ''Plus, she was so young. But it didn't help.''

Kizere did have allergies, Lane said, and she suspected her daughter might have had asthma. But Lane added her daughter didn't smoke or have a disease such as emphysema. In general, she said, her daughter's health was robust.

Lane, who lives in the Arden Arcade area, said it is unclear when or where her daughter contracted the virus.

Kizere traveled with her brother and friends to Las Vegas June 4 and became ill during the trip. Lane said the group returned home June 8, and Kizere was admitted to the medical center June 13.

''They thought she had pneumonia,'' Lane said. ''But it just progressed downward. When she went in, she was running a high temperature.''

Tests for pneumonia were negative, so doctors continued the search for her illness, eventually determining Kizere was suffering from swine flu.

Dr. Glennah Trochet, Sacramento County's public health officer, and Joe Quimby, senior press officer for the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, declined to comment on the specifics of Kizere's case.

More generally, however, they discussed analyses of cases in Mexico and the United States linking various conditions to severe swine flu infections.

Quimby said a survey of hospitals released June 19 showed their patients with H1N1 were recorded as most often having underlying conditions of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or obesity.

The single biggest risk factor varies from week to week, Quimby said.

The latest sampling showed asthma in 32 percent of the hospitalized patients. Those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were tied, at 32 percent, and obesity was reported in 27 percent of the patients, he said.

''In 90 percent of all the deaths that we're aware of, patients had underlying health conditions,'' Quimby said.

Trochet said in Mexico, the secretary of health recently reported among 106 deaths tied to the virus, 34 percent of the patients had metabolic problems, listing diabetes mellitus and obesity, she said.

Since being overweight increases the likelihood someone has diabetes, the diabetes may have been an underlying cause in the surveys, not the obesity, she said.

''I think before we start talking about this, there needs to be a lot more study,'' she said. ''We need bigger numbers.''

Lane said the reasons her daughter succumbed to swine flu remain a mystery.

Kizere was tired, probably from the coughing and fever, but had no aches or pains. ''At the last, she had a headache. But she thought that was from coughing so much,'' Lane said.

Lane described her daughter as ''very talented.'' She created beautiful bead work and loved to sculpt, draw and use the computer to produce art. ''The world is going to miss out on that,'' Lane said.

She urged others to ''be very aware of any symptoms that are flu-like'' and to take precautions.

''Whatever you do,'' said Lane, her voice breaking, ''wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands.

''It doesn't matter how many times a day you don't think it is necessary. Just do it, because this is a very aggressive, nasty virus, and that is one way to prevent it.''

Trochet agreed people can impede the spread of H1N1 by hand washing. She said they should cover their mouths when coughing and sneezing and stay home when ill.



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