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Source: http://www.theledger.com/article/20091210/NEWS/912105086?Title=Girl-With-Swine-Flu-Dies
First H1N1 child death in Polk
Girl With Swine Flu Dies
Officials say the illness was not the cause of the 4-year-old's death.
By SHELLEY ROSSETTER
LEDGER CORRESPONDENT
Published: Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 10:06 p.m.
BARTOW | A 4-year-old girl has been confirmed as the county's first child H1N1 swine flu-related death, though state health officials say flu was not the cause of death.
Her death is counted by the state as swine flu related because she was recovering from the flu when she died, said Dr. Daniel Haight, director of the Polk County Health Department.
Haight said the child was on the mend when unrelated medical issues arose. Having the flu at the time did not help her health but is not the reason she died, he said.
"In these kinds of situations, it is not really clear what exactly could have caused the death," but because it happened while she had the flu it is included in the statewide count, he said.
Haight would not reveal the exact cause of death or the name of the girl or her hometown. He also has not released that information for previous swine flu-related deaths.
This is the eighth swine flu death in Polk County, but the seventh officially recognized by the state.
A 43-year-old woman living in Polk for a few months who died of swine flu in late November or early December is not considered a Polk County death, Haight said. Although the woman became infected and died in Polk County, her death will be counted in her home county, he said.
The other deaths in the county include three women and three men, ages 31 to 71. All those who died had medical complications putting them at higher than average risk, and none of them had gotten the swine flu shot, Haight said.
Statewide, through Thursday, Florida has had 180 lab-confirmed H1N1 swine-flu deaths.
First H1N1 child death in Polk
Girl With Swine Flu Dies
Officials say the illness was not the cause of the 4-year-old's death.
By SHELLEY ROSSETTER
LEDGER CORRESPONDENT
Published: Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 10:06 p.m.
BARTOW | A 4-year-old girl has been confirmed as the county's first child H1N1 swine flu-related death, though state health officials say flu was not the cause of death.
Her death is counted by the state as swine flu related because she was recovering from the flu when she died, said Dr. Daniel Haight, director of the Polk County Health Department.
Haight said the child was on the mend when unrelated medical issues arose. Having the flu at the time did not help her health but is not the reason she died, he said.
"In these kinds of situations, it is not really clear what exactly could have caused the death," but because it happened while she had the flu it is included in the statewide count, he said.
Haight would not reveal the exact cause of death or the name of the girl or her hometown. He also has not released that information for previous swine flu-related deaths.
This is the eighth swine flu death in Polk County, but the seventh officially recognized by the state.
A 43-year-old woman living in Polk for a few months who died of swine flu in late November or early December is not considered a Polk County death, Haight said. Although the woman became infected and died in Polk County, her death will be counted in her home county, he said.
The other deaths in the county include three women and three men, ages 31 to 71. All those who died had medical complications putting them at higher than average risk, and none of them had gotten the swine flu shot, Haight said.
Statewide, through Thursday, Florida has had 180 lab-confirmed H1N1 swine-flu deaths.