Kingston: One local death linked to H1N1 virus: Health officials

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Source: http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2141899

One local death linked to H1N1 virus: Health officials
Posted By Whig-Standard


The Kingston-area public health department has confirmed the death of a Kingston person of complications from the H1N1 influenza virus.

Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Public Health is also reporting an ?alarmingly sharp? spike in visits ? 420 in the last 24 hours ? to the region's three hospitals with people complaining of respiratory or fever complaints.

Nearly half the visits are children and youths ages 0 to 17 and the other half by people ages 18 to 64.

?We know there's a lot of people sick in the community with flu-like symptoms,? said public health spokesman Justin Chenier.

 

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Re: Kingston: One local death linked to H1N1 virus: Health officials

Source: http://www.napaneeguide.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2143946

H1N1: As first death reported in area, health unit points out that this strain has lower mortality rate than seasonal flu
Posted By Paul Schliesmann
Posted 1 hour ago


As the first H1N1-related death was recorded in the Kingston area -- and batches of vaccine arrived in the city -- public health officials were asking people not to panic and rush to overburdened hospital emergency departments seeking treatment.

Medical officer of health Dr. Ian Gemmill confirmed that a middle-aged Kingston woman with H1N1 died at Kingston General Hospital on the weekend.

"It's a tragic thing when a death occurs with influenza, but it's also not unexpected," said Gemmill, the head of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Public Health.

"Seasonal influenza is actually more deadly than the current virus. This one, at least so far, has a lower mortality attached to it than the seasonal influenza. This is actually quite normal for influenza, though it's quite tragic for the family."

The health unit, which will begin regular vaccination clinics starting on Tuesday, reported yesterday an "alarmingly sharp" spike in visits to the region's three acute-care hospitals -- 420 over the previous 24 hours -- by people complaining of respiratory distress, fevers and aches.

Nearly half the emergency visits in Kingston and Napanee were children and youths aged 0 to 17, and the other half people 18 to 64