JimO
Well-known member
Source: http://www.floridatoday.com/article...0335/1006/Swine+flu+claims+4th+Brevard+victim
Swine flu claims 4th Brevard victim
Titusville man fought the infection for 15 days in two medical facilities
BY SUSAN JENKS ? FLORIDA TODAY ? November 20, 2009
A 58-year-old man suffering from swine flu died Veterans Day, the fourth death in the county from the virus, the Brevard County Health Department said Thursday.
William Van Mason Flannery of Titusville died at Florida Hospital in Orlando after a 15-day battle that began at Parrish Medical Center, where he sought treatment. He left behind a wife of 20 years, Lynn, two children from a first marriage and two stepchildren.
"His death was reported to us (Thursday)," said Dr. Heidar Heshmati, county health director.
Swine flu infections have led to 14 hospitalizations and three other deaths from flu-associated complications in Brevard so far this year:
James Jeffords, 51, of Port St. John died Oct. 13.
Jarod Scott, 28, of Melbourne died in September.
And Tiphani Corley, 19, of Rockledge died in August.
A second round of clinics offering free vaccines against swine flu will be Saturday. Heshmati said about 4,500 doses will be administered to area residents at the health department's three clinics on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The intent is to vaccinate high-risk individuals first, especially pregnant women and children.
"But we will not turn anyone away," Heshmati said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated 47 million doses of vaccine have been sent out around the country in recent weeks, including more than 2 million doses in Florida.
Heshmati said Brevard County has received about 68,000 doses and hopes to have roughly double that number by the end of the year. Most of the supply has gone directly to obstetrician/gynecologists, family physicians and pediatricians either from the state health department or the county health department
"We have been getting H1N1 vaccine --very slowly," said Vicki Gavaghan, director of quality initiatives for MIMA, Brevard County's largest physician group.
Gavaghan said MIMA has ordered about 6,000 doses of swine-flu vaccine, but has received only about a third of that supply. Although that's been sufficient to vaccinate most pediatric or pregnant patients who want it, she said, it's not quite enough to vaccinate all those in the 24- to 64-year-old age group with underlying medical conditions, another high risk group.
Flannery had a heart condition before coming down with flu earlier this month, according to his wife.
She said that condition forced him to take early retirement from the Orlando Utilities Commission where he worked for 26 years, rising from a janitorial position to management.
He was a very generous person," she said, spending much of his retirement devoted to charity work, especially the Jimmy Durante Children's Fund, started in memory of the late comedian, to help abused and neglected children by the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
Durante was an Eagle, as was her husband, Lynn Flannery said, and a benefit had been planned for the fund shortly before his death.
Contact Jenks at 242-3657 or sjenks@floridatoday.com.
Swine flu claims 4th Brevard victim
Titusville man fought the infection for 15 days in two medical facilities
BY SUSAN JENKS ? FLORIDA TODAY ? November 20, 2009
A 58-year-old man suffering from swine flu died Veterans Day, the fourth death in the county from the virus, the Brevard County Health Department said Thursday.
William Van Mason Flannery of Titusville died at Florida Hospital in Orlando after a 15-day battle that began at Parrish Medical Center, where he sought treatment. He left behind a wife of 20 years, Lynn, two children from a first marriage and two stepchildren.
"His death was reported to us (Thursday)," said Dr. Heidar Heshmati, county health director.
Swine flu infections have led to 14 hospitalizations and three other deaths from flu-associated complications in Brevard so far this year:
James Jeffords, 51, of Port St. John died Oct. 13.
Jarod Scott, 28, of Melbourne died in September.
And Tiphani Corley, 19, of Rockledge died in August.
A second round of clinics offering free vaccines against swine flu will be Saturday. Heshmati said about 4,500 doses will be administered to area residents at the health department's three clinics on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The intent is to vaccinate high-risk individuals first, especially pregnant women and children.
"But we will not turn anyone away," Heshmati said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated 47 million doses of vaccine have been sent out around the country in recent weeks, including more than 2 million doses in Florida.
Heshmati said Brevard County has received about 68,000 doses and hopes to have roughly double that number by the end of the year. Most of the supply has gone directly to obstetrician/gynecologists, family physicians and pediatricians either from the state health department or the county health department
"We have been getting H1N1 vaccine --very slowly," said Vicki Gavaghan, director of quality initiatives for MIMA, Brevard County's largest physician group.
Gavaghan said MIMA has ordered about 6,000 doses of swine-flu vaccine, but has received only about a third of that supply. Although that's been sufficient to vaccinate most pediatric or pregnant patients who want it, she said, it's not quite enough to vaccinate all those in the 24- to 64-year-old age group with underlying medical conditions, another high risk group.
Flannery had a heart condition before coming down with flu earlier this month, according to his wife.
She said that condition forced him to take early retirement from the Orlando Utilities Commission where he worked for 26 years, rising from a janitorial position to management.
He was a very generous person," she said, spending much of his retirement devoted to charity work, especially the Jimmy Durante Children's Fund, started in memory of the late comedian, to help abused and neglected children by the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
Durante was an Eagle, as was her husband, Lynn Flannery said, and a benefit had been planned for the fund shortly before his death.
Contact Jenks at 242-3657 or sjenks@floridatoday.com.