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Source: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/articl...tle=Lake-County-reports-first-swine-flu-death
Lake County reports first swine flu death
By JEREMY HAY
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at 1:58 p.m.
A middle-aged man has become Lake County?s first confirmed death from swine flu, officials said Tuesday.
The man, who has not been named, died in mid-October, said Dr. Karen Tait, the county?s health officer. The cause of the man?s death couldn?t be confirmed until laboratory tests were completed, she said.
Details about the man ? such as his age, date of death and where he lived ? were being withheld, Tait said, to protect the man?s privacy.
As has been the case with most swine flu-related deaths, the Lake County man suffered from underlying health conditions that probably placed him at extra risk, Tait said.
The secondary complication that actually killed him was bacterial pneumonia, she said.
Lake County began receiving stocks of swine flu vaccine only last week, Tait said, and the man had not been vaccinated. She said ?in theory? that may have made a difference.
?In a perfect world the vaccine would have been here first (before the man fell ill) but that just wasn?t to be,? she said.
While the stocks on hand are still minimal, Tait said, ?We?re trying to push it out as quickly as possible.?
She said there is only one other confirmed case of swine flu currently in Lake County, a patient in intensive care. But only those severe cases and deaths are being tracked by federal and state health officials. In reality, Tait said, many more outpatients in the county have tested positive for the flu.
There have so far been 249 reported swine flu deaths in the state. To date, according to public health officials, there have been 10 swine flu deaths in Sonoma County.
Lake County reports first swine flu death
By JEREMY HAY
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at 1:58 p.m.
A middle-aged man has become Lake County?s first confirmed death from swine flu, officials said Tuesday.
The man, who has not been named, died in mid-October, said Dr. Karen Tait, the county?s health officer. The cause of the man?s death couldn?t be confirmed until laboratory tests were completed, she said.
Details about the man ? such as his age, date of death and where he lived ? were being withheld, Tait said, to protect the man?s privacy.
As has been the case with most swine flu-related deaths, the Lake County man suffered from underlying health conditions that probably placed him at extra risk, Tait said.
The secondary complication that actually killed him was bacterial pneumonia, she said.
Lake County began receiving stocks of swine flu vaccine only last week, Tait said, and the man had not been vaccinated. She said ?in theory? that may have made a difference.
?In a perfect world the vaccine would have been here first (before the man fell ill) but that just wasn?t to be,? she said.
While the stocks on hand are still minimal, Tait said, ?We?re trying to push it out as quickly as possible.?
She said there is only one other confirmed case of swine flu currently in Lake County, a patient in intensive care. But only those severe cases and deaths are being tracked by federal and state health officials. In reality, Tait said, many more outpatients in the county have tested positive for the flu.
There have so far been 249 reported swine flu deaths in the state. To date, according to public health officials, there have been 10 swine flu deaths in Sonoma County.