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H1N1 flu kills two in southeast Minnesota
10/23/2009 9:41:11 AM
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Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN
A six-year-old from Owatonna and an infant from Albert Lea have died from the H1N1 flu, the first casualties in southeastern Minnesota.
What happened: Three more people died of H1N1 novel influenza, bringing Minnesota's death toll to 10.
What it means: The virus is accelerating, as new flu statistics indicate 380 people were hospitalized with the flu since Sept. 1, and all but one had the swine flu. But most who are infected recover within a few days, and most of those who died had other serious health problems.
What's next: Vaccinations won't be available to the general public for a few weeks, although health providers and certain at-risk populations are getting them now.
Both died at hospitals in Rochester.
Those two along with the death of a Martin County woman were reported by the state Health Department Thursday, bringing the virus's death toll in Minnesota to 10. All three victims had underlying health conditions.
According to the Albert Lea Tribune, the Freeborn County child was 5-week-old William Anton Cech, as confirmed by his family. He had critical heart and lung conditions, but also contracted H1N1.
"If he had gotten a rotten cold, I'm sure that would have tough for him, too," said grandmother Addie Rust. "H1N1 isn't what killed him."
He was taken to Saint Marys Hospital in Rochester to be treated for hypoplastic left heart syndrome, in which the left side of the heart is critically undeveloped. He had heart surgery Sept. 18 and was put on a heart bypass machine and a ventilator. He was taken off the bypass machine for a time but then put back on it when he did poorly.
Mucus from his lungs tested positive for H1N1 novel influenza. Had William Cech lived, he would have faced serious health problems, his family said, including feeding through a tube for his life, brain damage and two more heart surgeries.
The Steele County 6-year-old who died was a student in the Owatonna school district who was hospitalized after experiencing respiratory distress. The child was transported to a hospital in Rochester, where the child succumbed to the H1N1 virus, according to the Owatonna People's Press.
The state health department said Thursday that there now have been 611 hospitalized cases of confirmed swine flu in the state.
The latest news could fuel more calls to the state's new nurse hot line for flu sufferers, 866-259-4655, which opened on Wednesday and was quickly overwhelmed, prompting reports of busy signals and hours-long waits for a nurse to return the call. Assistant Health Commissioner Craig Acomb said state officials were working with the contractor to increase the system's capacity, including by adding staff.
H1N1 flu kills two in southeast Minnesota
10/23/2009 9:41:11 AM
Comments (0)
Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN
A six-year-old from Owatonna and an infant from Albert Lea have died from the H1N1 flu, the first casualties in southeastern Minnesota.
What happened: Three more people died of H1N1 novel influenza, bringing Minnesota's death toll to 10.
What it means: The virus is accelerating, as new flu statistics indicate 380 people were hospitalized with the flu since Sept. 1, and all but one had the swine flu. But most who are infected recover within a few days, and most of those who died had other serious health problems.
What's next: Vaccinations won't be available to the general public for a few weeks, although health providers and certain at-risk populations are getting them now.
Both died at hospitals in Rochester.
Those two along with the death of a Martin County woman were reported by the state Health Department Thursday, bringing the virus's death toll in Minnesota to 10. All three victims had underlying health conditions.
According to the Albert Lea Tribune, the Freeborn County child was 5-week-old William Anton Cech, as confirmed by his family. He had critical heart and lung conditions, but also contracted H1N1.
"If he had gotten a rotten cold, I'm sure that would have tough for him, too," said grandmother Addie Rust. "H1N1 isn't what killed him."
He was taken to Saint Marys Hospital in Rochester to be treated for hypoplastic left heart syndrome, in which the left side of the heart is critically undeveloped. He had heart surgery Sept. 18 and was put on a heart bypass machine and a ventilator. He was taken off the bypass machine for a time but then put back on it when he did poorly.
Mucus from his lungs tested positive for H1N1 novel influenza. Had William Cech lived, he would have faced serious health problems, his family said, including feeding through a tube for his life, brain damage and two more heart surgeries.
The Steele County 6-year-old who died was a student in the Owatonna school district who was hospitalized after experiencing respiratory distress. The child was transported to a hospital in Rochester, where the child succumbed to the H1N1 virus, according to the Owatonna People's Press.
The state health department said Thursday that there now have been 611 hospitalized cases of confirmed swine flu in the state.
The latest news could fuel more calls to the state's new nurse hot line for flu sufferers, 866-259-4655, which opened on Wednesday and was quickly overwhelmed, prompting reports of busy signals and hours-long waits for a nurse to return the call. Assistant Health Commissioner Craig Acomb said state officials were working with the contractor to increase the system's capacity, including by adding staff.