H1N1 May Be To Blame For Baby's Death

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/21635556/detail.html

H1N1 May Be To Blame For Baby's Death
Tests Being Run After Infant Dies At Pittsburgh Children's Hospital

POSTED: 12:31 am EST November 17, 2009
UPDATED: 2:40 pm EST November 17, 2009

PITTSBURGH -- The death of a two-month-old baby at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh over the weekend may have been linked to the H1N1 flu.

If the link is confirmed, it would mark the region's first H1N1-related death of an infant.

According to the Allegheny County Health Department, the baby, who was from Washington County, died over the weekend.

Dr. Bruce Dixon of the Allegheny County Health Department said it appears the child most likely contracted the illness from the parents.

 

[JimO]

Re: H1N1 May Be To Blame For Baby's Death

Source: http://www.wpxi.com/news/21637764/detail.html

Swine Flu Likely Cause Of 3-Month-Old's Death
Updated: 3:51 pm EST November 17, 2009

PITTSBURGH -- A 3-month-old who died at Children's Hospital over the weekend had H1N1-like symptoms, the Allegheny County Health Department said.

Carissa Joann Phillips was not from Allegheny County but was brought to the hospital for treatment.

The infant died sometime over the weekend most likely from the swine flu, health officials said.

"This was an infant, I believe an 8-week-old or 2-month-old from another county, Washington County, brought to a Pittsburgh hospital," said Guillermo Cole of the Health Department. "Unfortunately, the child died over the weekend."

Carissa was too young to have gotten the swine flu vaccine, but Cole said her death is an important reminder to others.

"Vaccinating caregivers of children younger than 6 months of age, because the vaccine of H1N1 can not be given, used on anyone younger than 6 months," said Cole.

Three people from Allegheny County have died of the virus. Two people from Fayette County died from the swine flu, as well as one from Butler.

Twenty-nine people have died of the swine flu statewide.

 

[Readymom]

Re: H1N1 May Be To Blame For Baby's Death

Virus kills city infant
http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/localnews/11-18-2009-swine-flu-death-W

By Brad Hundt, Staff writer bhundt@observer-reporter.com

The all-too-brief life of Caryssa Jo Ann Phillips was filled with struggle.

A twin born in September two months premature, Caryssa was only home in Washington for a little less than two weeks when she became ill again and spent another three weeks in the hospital before dying on Saturday.

It was the day, coincidentally, she had been due to be born.

Caryssa's death is noteworthy because she's believed to be the first Washington County resident claimed by the H1N1 influenza virus. According to figures released last week by the Centers for Disease Control, 3,900 Americans have died as a result of swine flu, including 540 children.

osing Caryssa, who leaves behind her twin sister, Cassidy, and four other sisters, is "the hardest thing in the world," said her father, Shane Phillips, a cook at The Meadows Racetrack & Casino. Phillips was at the William G. Neal Funeral Home on Allison Avenue in Washington with other family members Tuesday afternoon, just before services for Caryssa were due to get under way.

The Web site of KDKA-TV reported that other family members had been ill with H1N1, but Phillips said that was not true. Caryssa's sisters are doing fine, and have received the swine flu vaccine.

Phillips was getting ready for work when Caryssa became sick. She was having trouble breathing and was turning shades of blue. She was initially taken to Washington Hospital, and was later transported by helicopter to Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh. Doctors there tried a number of procedures, including an experimental drug, but their efforts failed to reverse Caryssa's downward trajectory, Phillips said.