Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.mydesert.com/article/200...-for-40-percent-of-county-s-swine-flu-deaths-
Coachella Valley accounts for 40 percent of county's swine flu deaths
Nicole C. Brambila ? The Desert Sun ? October 19, 2009
Roughly 40 percent of the deaths attributable to N1H1, commonly referred to as ?swine flu? were Coachella Valley residents, according to county health officials.
Advertisement
The latest death, a 19-year Coachella Valley resident, was in early October, said Barbara Cole, director for disease control for the Riverside County Department of Public Health.
To date, Riverside County has had 10 swine-flu related deaths. The other Coachella Valley deaths were a 63-year-old female, a 46-year-old female and a 40-year-old male.
The county health department is only releasing the gender and age of the victims because of patient confidentiality, Cole said.
Riverside County has roughly 607 confirmed cases, according to the county health officials.
To put the deaths into perspective, more than 4,000 Californians die each year because of seasonal influenza.
Those vulnerable to the seasonal influenza and H1N1 differ. Typically, the most vulnerable for seasonal flu are the elderly and very young.
With swine flu, county health officials are urging those six months to 24-years of age to get vaccinated.
Other high risk groups include pregnant women and those under 64 years of age with chronic diseases.
"Most of our cases appear to have underlying health problems," Cole said.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention expects to receive $2.5 million this fiscal year to help local health departments administer the H1N1 vaccine.
Eric Frykman, the Riverside County public health officer, said he does not expect a fiscal impact on Riverside County.
The county, however, has already racked up nearly $40,000 in overtime costs responding to the swine flu outbreak.
Coachella Valley accounts for 40 percent of county's swine flu deaths
Nicole C. Brambila ? The Desert Sun ? October 19, 2009
Roughly 40 percent of the deaths attributable to N1H1, commonly referred to as ?swine flu? were Coachella Valley residents, according to county health officials.
Advertisement
The latest death, a 19-year Coachella Valley resident, was in early October, said Barbara Cole, director for disease control for the Riverside County Department of Public Health.
To date, Riverside County has had 10 swine-flu related deaths. The other Coachella Valley deaths were a 63-year-old female, a 46-year-old female and a 40-year-old male.
The county health department is only releasing the gender and age of the victims because of patient confidentiality, Cole said.
Riverside County has roughly 607 confirmed cases, according to the county health officials.
To put the deaths into perspective, more than 4,000 Californians die each year because of seasonal influenza.
Those vulnerable to the seasonal influenza and H1N1 differ. Typically, the most vulnerable for seasonal flu are the elderly and very young.
With swine flu, county health officials are urging those six months to 24-years of age to get vaccinated.
Other high risk groups include pregnant women and those under 64 years of age with chronic diseases.
"Most of our cases appear to have underlying health problems," Cole said.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention expects to receive $2.5 million this fiscal year to help local health departments administer the H1N1 vaccine.
Eric Frykman, the Riverside County public health officer, said he does not expect a fiscal impact on Riverside County.
The county, however, has already racked up nearly $40,000 in overtime costs responding to the swine flu outbreak.