Roehl_JC
Moderator
South Dakota?s influenza death toll rose to 17 last week, even as other indicators of influenza activity slowed, the South Dakota Department of Health reported.
There were four newly reported deaths from flu-related causes for the week ending Nov. 7. H1N1 is proving especially dangerous to people with chronic health conditions and underlying medical problems, according to Secretary of Health Doneen Hollingsworth. Sixty percent of flu deaths have been people between the ages of 20 and 60, the majority of whom had chronic health conditions.
Flu-related hospitalizations fell to 19 last week, bringing the season total to 366 to date. School absenteeism rates because of illness dropped to 3 percent for the week ending Nov. 7. Of the laboratory-confirmed cases of H1N1 flu in the state, nearly 70 percent have been in people 19 and younger. Fifty percent of flu-related hospitalizations are in that age group, too.
?Influenza viruses, including H1N1, can cause very serious complications for those with asthma, diabetes and other chronic health conditions,? Hollingsworth said. ?We strongly encourage these individuals to ask their doctor for the vaccine or to come to one of the public clinics.?
http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/news/article_9654ac8e-d0ce-11de-a280-001cc4c002e0.html
There were four newly reported deaths from flu-related causes for the week ending Nov. 7. H1N1 is proving especially dangerous to people with chronic health conditions and underlying medical problems, according to Secretary of Health Doneen Hollingsworth. Sixty percent of flu deaths have been people between the ages of 20 and 60, the majority of whom had chronic health conditions.
Flu-related hospitalizations fell to 19 last week, bringing the season total to 366 to date. School absenteeism rates because of illness dropped to 3 percent for the week ending Nov. 7. Of the laboratory-confirmed cases of H1N1 flu in the state, nearly 70 percent have been in people 19 and younger. Fifty percent of flu-related hospitalizations are in that age group, too.
?Influenza viruses, including H1N1, can cause very serious complications for those with asthma, diabetes and other chronic health conditions,? Hollingsworth said. ?We strongly encourage these individuals to ask their doctor for the vaccine or to come to one of the public clinics.?
http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/news/article_9654ac8e-d0ce-11de-a280-001cc4c002e0.html