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Source: http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/fifth_onondaga_county_resident.html
Fifth Onondaga County resident dies of H1N1
By James T. Mulder / The Post-Standard
October 29, 2009, 4:23PM
Syracuse, N.Y. -- A fifth Onondaga County resident has died of the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, which is spreading rapidly through the community.
Dr. Cynthia Morrow, the county?s health commissioner, said today the death involved a hospitalized adult with underlying medical conditions. She would not release any other information about the person. Underlying medical conditions can be diseases like diabetes, asthma and emphysema.
?Our thoughts are with this individual?s family,? she said.
There have been 34 H1N1 deaths in New York since the virus surfaced in April.
Morrow said flu activity is increasing in the area, prompting more hospitalizations and visits to emergency rooms. There is no routine testing being done to diagnose H1N1. But Morrow said more than 99 percent of flu cases nationwide are believed to be H1N1.
There were 238 lab-confirmed flu cases for the week ending Oct. 24. That?s up significantly from 71 cases the previous week. Those numbers vastly understate the extent of the flu because most people who get it are not tested, Morrow said. ?We know there are thousands of cases of influenza in our community right now,? Morrow said. It?s safe to assume nearly all of them are H1N1, she said.
Despite the increase, hospitalizations and fatalities related to H1N1 are relatively rare, Morrow said. ?This continues to be a predominantly mild illness for most people,? she said. Most people who get it are recovering in three to five days, she said.
The wave of flu is filling up hospital emergency rooms and doctors offices.
?If you are healthy and you have mild illness, there is no need to go to the doctor's office,? Morrow said. ?We really need the doctors to be available for those individuals who are more seriously ill.?
People in that category should stay at home and avoid contact with other people.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people who are at higher risk of developing complications from the flu should contact their medical provider to determine if they need to be examined. Those people include: children under 5, especially children younger than 2; people 65 and older, pregnant women and people with cancer, blood disorders, lung disease, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disorders, liver disorders, neurological disorders and weakened immune systems.
Fifth Onondaga County resident dies of H1N1
By James T. Mulder / The Post-Standard
October 29, 2009, 4:23PM
Syracuse, N.Y. -- A fifth Onondaga County resident has died of the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, which is spreading rapidly through the community.
Dr. Cynthia Morrow, the county?s health commissioner, said today the death involved a hospitalized adult with underlying medical conditions. She would not release any other information about the person. Underlying medical conditions can be diseases like diabetes, asthma and emphysema.
?Our thoughts are with this individual?s family,? she said.
There have been 34 H1N1 deaths in New York since the virus surfaced in April.
Morrow said flu activity is increasing in the area, prompting more hospitalizations and visits to emergency rooms. There is no routine testing being done to diagnose H1N1. But Morrow said more than 99 percent of flu cases nationwide are believed to be H1N1.
There were 238 lab-confirmed flu cases for the week ending Oct. 24. That?s up significantly from 71 cases the previous week. Those numbers vastly understate the extent of the flu because most people who get it are not tested, Morrow said. ?We know there are thousands of cases of influenza in our community right now,? Morrow said. It?s safe to assume nearly all of them are H1N1, she said.
Despite the increase, hospitalizations and fatalities related to H1N1 are relatively rare, Morrow said. ?This continues to be a predominantly mild illness for most people,? she said. Most people who get it are recovering in three to five days, she said.
The wave of flu is filling up hospital emergency rooms and doctors offices.
?If you are healthy and you have mild illness, there is no need to go to the doctor's office,? Morrow said. ?We really need the doctors to be available for those individuals who are more seriously ill.?
People in that category should stay at home and avoid contact with other people.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people who are at higher risk of developing complications from the flu should contact their medical provider to determine if they need to be examined. Those people include: children under 5, especially children younger than 2; people 65 and older, pregnant women and people with cancer, blood disorders, lung disease, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disorders, liver disorders, neurological disorders and weakened immune systems.