JimO
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Source: http://www.myfox8.com/wghp-moses-cone-h1n1-death-090626,0,4098636.story
Patient Who Likely Exposed Women's Hospital Therapist, Infants to H1N1 Dies
Staff Writer
June 26, 2009
GREENSBORO, N.C. - The patient who may have have initiated the exposure of 33 infants at Women's Hospital to the H1N1 swine flu virus died Friday afternoon, according to a Moses Cone Health System spokesman.
"Federal law limits what we can say, however, we believe the virus aggravated pre-existing medical issues and contributed to the death," Infectious Disease Specialist Tim Lane, Medical Director, Infection Prevention Services, said in a written statement.
Before this patient's virus was identified, he was being treated for asthma complications. A staff respiratory therapist, not knowing she had been exposed to H1N1, later came into contact with infants in the newborn intensive care unit.
After the hospital confirmed the adult patient had H1N1, staff in the NICU began precautionary Tamiflu treatment of the 33 babies. The babies are past the likely incubation period for flu. As of Friday, 11 of the infants had been sent home from the hospital.
Earlier this month, the death of an elderly patient at a Moses Cone Health System facility was linked to the H1N1 swine flu virus. Early last week, the man was admitted to Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro for what hospital officials describe as a 'heart procedure.' He reportedly was discharged after his condition improved and had no flu symptoms. On Thursday, the man went to Wesley Long Community Hospital's emergency room with severe pneumonia. Doctors there said he was in critical condition and died in the Wesley Long Intensive Care Unit Friday. Test results late Tuesday confirmed the man had contracted H1N1.
The man's death was North Carolina's first H1N1-linked death.
Patient Who Likely Exposed Women's Hospital Therapist, Infants to H1N1 Dies
Staff Writer
June 26, 2009
GREENSBORO, N.C. - The patient who may have have initiated the exposure of 33 infants at Women's Hospital to the H1N1 swine flu virus died Friday afternoon, according to a Moses Cone Health System spokesman.
"Federal law limits what we can say, however, we believe the virus aggravated pre-existing medical issues and contributed to the death," Infectious Disease Specialist Tim Lane, Medical Director, Infection Prevention Services, said in a written statement.
Before this patient's virus was identified, he was being treated for asthma complications. A staff respiratory therapist, not knowing she had been exposed to H1N1, later came into contact with infants in the newborn intensive care unit.
After the hospital confirmed the adult patient had H1N1, staff in the NICU began precautionary Tamiflu treatment of the 33 babies. The babies are past the likely incubation period for flu. As of Friday, 11 of the infants had been sent home from the hospital.
Earlier this month, the death of an elderly patient at a Moses Cone Health System facility was linked to the H1N1 swine flu virus. Early last week, the man was admitted to Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro for what hospital officials describe as a 'heart procedure.' He reportedly was discharged after his condition improved and had no flu symptoms. On Thursday, the man went to Wesley Long Community Hospital's emergency room with severe pneumonia. Doctors there said he was in critical condition and died in the Wesley Long Intensive Care Unit Friday. Test results late Tuesday confirmed the man had contracted H1N1.
The man's death was North Carolina's first H1N1-linked death.