H1N1 Flu Kills Woman in El Paso County

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Source: http://www.krdo.com/Global/story.asp?S=10812390

H1N1 Flu Kills Woman in El Paso County

Posted: July 29, 2009 01:39 PM

Updated: July 29, 2009 01:39 PM

COLORADO SPRINGS - A woman in her 40s is El Paso County's and Colorado's first reported death likely related to novel H1N1 flu, according to the El Paso County Department of Health and Environment.

"This is sad news, and we want to express our deepest sympathy to this individual's family," said Kandi Buckland, R.N., M.P.A., Public Health Director. "We want the public to be aware that H1N1 flu can cause serious illness, and it is important that our residents take steps to prevent the spread of H1N1 flu and to protect themselves and their families."

H1N1 flu was declared a pandemic in June, meaning that that the virus is spreading worldwide. While H1N1 flu has generally been a mild illness, hospitalization and death related to flu complications does occur. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 302 deaths nationally as of July 24.

"We are focusing our communication efforts on prevention," Buckland said. "Since a vaccine specifically for novel H1N1 flu is not currently available, the best way for people to protect themselves is through the same public health steps that protect them from many other illnesses."

Those prevention measures include:

* Stay home if you have respiratory illness or fever. Keep children home from camp, school and child care if they are ill.
* Wash hands frequently.
* Cover your sneezes and coughs-cough into your sleeve.
* Avoid contact with people who are sick.

Other important steps that the public should be taking include reviewing or creating a family emergency plan, such as ensuring that you have enough food, medicine and other necessities if you have to remain at home for up to one week.

"This also is a good time for businesses and schools to review their emergency plans to maintain staffing levels and keep critical services in place," Buckland said.

 

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Re: H1N1 Flu Kills Woman in El Paso County

Swine flu Victim Identified


July 29, 2009 12:20 PM

BRIAN NEWSOME
THE GAZETTE


A 41-year-old El Paso County woman who worked at Peterson Air Force Base died Tuesday of swine flu, Colorado?s first reported fatality from the pandemic virus.

The woman was identified by the El Paso County Coroner?s Office as Debra Burton. She worked for the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command. At least three others at the base have had mild cases of the virus, said a spokesman for both commands.

Citing privacy statutes, neither he nor the El Paso County Department of Health and Environment would say whether she was healthy prior to contracting the virus or if other health conditions contributed to her death. Dr. Bernadette Albanese, medical director for the county health department, did say the woman?s death occurred after she was hospitalized with the virus.

Burton?s death comes just a few weeks after at least 138 freshmen at the Air Force Academy were sickened with H1N1 in the largest reported outbreak in Colorado. All of them recovered and none required hospitalization.
The woman?s death was considered an isolated case and not part of an outbreak, Albanese said.

Nationally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control has reported nearly 44,000 cases and more than 300 deaths since the virus first appeared in April. Colorado has had 171 reported cases, although the AFA?s cases are not included because they were on a military base.

The virus was declared a pandemic in June. But neither that, nor Tuesday?s death and the recent AFA outbreak, have changed state or local health authorities? attack plan. Epidemiologists quit tracking the origins of outbreaks and flu cases because, as a pandemic, the virus is considered widespread. Instead, the effort is in educating people about handwashing and convincing them to stay home when sick, and teaching schools, child care centers, businesses and other organizations how to isolate the sick and soften swine flu?s outbreak potential.

H1N1 has so far been a mild strain overall, but Burton?s death shows that even generally mild diseases can be serious for some.

?We want the public to be aware that H1N1 can cause serious illness, and it is important that our residents take steps to prevent the spread of H1N1 flu and to protect themselves and their families,? El Paso County Public Health Director Kandi Buckland said in a news release.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave the go-ahead earlier this week for the 2009-10 seasonal flu vaccine, according to wire services, but a vaccine for swine flu is not expected until at least October. According to an Associated Press report Wednesday, a government panel is recommending that pregnant women, health care workers and children six months and older be placed at the front of the line for swine flu vaccinations this fall.
The panel also said those first in line should include parents and other caregivers of infants; non-elderly adults who have high-risk medical conditions; and young adults ages 19 to 24.

The panel?s recommendations are usually adopted by federal health officials.
Whether the swine flu vaccine is available soon or not, health officials recommend that people get the regular, seasonal flu vaccine.

?We may actually have a double-barreled influenza season out there,? Dr. William Schaffner of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine told the Los Angeles Times. ? People with flu shots are less likely to take up hospital beds, he said, and that can ?kind of clear the decks? for dealing with swine flu.



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