Ronan Kelly
Retired 2020
Local child hospitalized with H1N1 virus; autopsy requested in woman's death
By SCOTT RASMUSSEN
JOURNAL OF THE SAN JUANS
A young child is the first San Juan County resident hospitalized with the H1N1 virus.
As of noon Friday, the child, who also suffers from an underlying respiratory aliment, reportedly was in stable condition. The H1N1 virus, commonly known as "swine flu," is expected to be a complicating factor in the child's recovery, according to local health officials.
Local health officials, citing privacy concerns, declined to identify the child or on which island the child lives.
There were four confirmed cases of H1N1 flu in San Juan County as of Nov. 2, county health officials said then. But Dr. Frank James, county health officer, said there could have been more cases; state health officials estimate that 95 percent of flu circulating in the state this year is H1N1.
Meanwhile, public health officials are awaiting test results to determine whether the H1N1 virus may have contributed to the death on Thursday of a 33-year-old San Juan Island woman. An autopsy has been performed at the request of County Coroner Randall Gaylord, because it was an unexpected death. An H1N1 test was conducted at the request of Dr. James, according to county Public Information Officer Stan Matthews, who's also a member of the county H1N1 task force. The woman reportedly had become ill recently.
Matthews said James requested the H1N1 test because swine flu is considered to be prevalent among the local population, and because the woman's death was "unexpected" and "unexplained." Results of the autopsy are expected in the next six weeks, while the H1N1 test results are expected sometime next week, he said.
As of Friday, 918 people in Washington state have been hospitalized with the H1N1 virus and 28 people have died, according to the state Department of Health.
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http://www.seattlepi.com/sound/412296_sound70007002.html
By SCOTT RASMUSSEN
JOURNAL OF THE SAN JUANS
A young child is the first San Juan County resident hospitalized with the H1N1 virus.
As of noon Friday, the child, who also suffers from an underlying respiratory aliment, reportedly was in stable condition. The H1N1 virus, commonly known as "swine flu," is expected to be a complicating factor in the child's recovery, according to local health officials.
Local health officials, citing privacy concerns, declined to identify the child or on which island the child lives.
There were four confirmed cases of H1N1 flu in San Juan County as of Nov. 2, county health officials said then. But Dr. Frank James, county health officer, said there could have been more cases; state health officials estimate that 95 percent of flu circulating in the state this year is H1N1.
Meanwhile, public health officials are awaiting test results to determine whether the H1N1 virus may have contributed to the death on Thursday of a 33-year-old San Juan Island woman. An autopsy has been performed at the request of County Coroner Randall Gaylord, because it was an unexpected death. An H1N1 test was conducted at the request of Dr. James, according to county Public Information Officer Stan Matthews, who's also a member of the county H1N1 task force. The woman reportedly had become ill recently.
Matthews said James requested the H1N1 test because swine flu is considered to be prevalent among the local population, and because the woman's death was "unexpected" and "unexplained." Results of the autopsy are expected in the next six weeks, while the H1N1 test results are expected sometime next week, he said.
As of Friday, 918 people in Washington state have been hospitalized with the H1N1 virus and 28 people have died, according to the state Department of Health.
-snip-
http://www.seattlepi.com/sound/412296_sound70007002.html