JimO
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Source: http://www.wtov9.com/news/21651602/detail.html
First Flu Fatality This Season Confirmed In Brooke County
Updated: 11:49 am EST November 18, 2009
Brooke County health officials said one person has died as a result of influenza, the first reported death of its kind this season.
Health Department Director Karen McClain said it is not known if the person died of the seasonal flu or swine flu. McClain said the victim had an underlying health condition.
"Any death is unfortunate," McClain said. She said health officials will probably never know what strain the patient died of.
"Death can be prevented from vaccination, so we want to raise people's awareness to get vaccinated, in particular if it's a new strand. They shouldn't be afraid of the vaccine," she said.
The Brooke County Health Department has had the swine flu on-hand for about a month and had given more than 1,000 shots as of Wednesday.
"There is a reluctancy that we're getting from the general public. They need to know the swine flu vaccine was made the same way as the seasonal flu. (There's) absolutely no difference," she said.
More than 4,000 people have died so far in the U.S. of the swine flu, and those most at risk are people who have underlying conditions like asthma, diabetes, sickle cell anemia or heart disease.
First Flu Fatality This Season Confirmed In Brooke County
Updated: 11:49 am EST November 18, 2009
Brooke County health officials said one person has died as a result of influenza, the first reported death of its kind this season.
Health Department Director Karen McClain said it is not known if the person died of the seasonal flu or swine flu. McClain said the victim had an underlying health condition.
"Any death is unfortunate," McClain said. She said health officials will probably never know what strain the patient died of.
"Death can be prevented from vaccination, so we want to raise people's awareness to get vaccinated, in particular if it's a new strand. They shouldn't be afraid of the vaccine," she said.
The Brooke County Health Department has had the swine flu on-hand for about a month and had given more than 1,000 shots as of Wednesday.
"There is a reluctancy that we're getting from the general public. They need to know the swine flu vaccine was made the same way as the seasonal flu. (There's) absolutely no difference," she said.
More than 4,000 people have died so far in the U.S. of the swine flu, and those most at risk are people who have underlying conditions like asthma, diabetes, sickle cell anemia or heart disease.