Swine Flu death in Marathon County- 4th in WI

[Chuck]

http://www.waow.com/Global/story.asp?S=10550443


Email Print Text Size
Swine Flu death in Marathon County

Posted: June 17, 2009 03:04 PM


By Ashley Gatz

MARATHON COUNTY (WAOW) -- The Marathon County Health Department has announced a school-age child has died from the swine flu.

It's the first death from the virus in our area.

Newsline 9 has learned that the child was a student at John Muir Middle School.

Little is known about this case, other than the child was hospitalized at Saint Joseph's Children's Hospital in Marshfield.

The child did have underlying medical conditions.

3 other people in our state have died from the swine flu; all of them occurred in the Milwaukee area.

Newsline 9 has a crew working on this story and will bring you the details as they're released.

For now, here is the press release sent to Newsline 9 from the Marathon County Health Department:

Marathon County Health Department has been notified of the first H1N1 flu death in a school age child who is a resident of Marathon County. The child was hospitalized at Saint Joseph's Children's Hospital in Marshfield at the time of the death. Out of respect for the family during this difficult time and due to patient confidentiality laws, Marathon County Health Department is not releasing details about this case, except that the person had underlying medical conditions that put him or her at greater risk for the virus to become deadly.

"Our thoughts are with this child's family and friends during this difficult time," said Julie Willems Van Dijk, Marathon County Health Officer. "The loss of a child for any family is heartbreaking."

Marathon County currently has 51 confirmed cases of H1N1 virus. The H1N1 virus is similar to viruses that cause seasonal influenza.

This news serves as a reminder of the importance of taking precautions to prevent the spread of influenza, including washing your hands frequently and staying home from work or school if one feels sick. This is especially important to protect individuals with pre-existing conditions which put them at greater risk for complications. Persons at high-risk for complications from influenza should call a health care provider if they have a fever combined with cough, sore throat, headaches, or body aches. Those at higher risk include: pregnant women, children from birth to age 2, adults 65 years old or older, people with certain chronic conditions, and residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities. Area clinics and hospitals are working in partnership with state and local health departments to ensure practices are in place for patients to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus.

Online Reporter: Ashley Gatz

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Swine Flu death in Marathon County- 4th in WI

Source: http://www.wsaw.com/daybreak/headlines/48275652.html

Family of Wausau Girl Who Died from Complications of H1N1 Virus
Posted: 8:05 AM Jun 18, 2009
Last Updated: 8:05 AM Jun 18, 2009
Reporter: Todd Hicks

The family of a Marathon County girl who died from complications of the H1N1 virus Wednesday is speaking out.

Through a family friend, Dale and Jennifer Eaton say their daughter Emily Eaton was taken to a hospital in Wausau with what first appeared as a case of pneumonia Thursday.

They say the 12 year old was then transferred to St. Joseph's Children's Hospital over the weekend, after her condition became worse.

Wednesday, the Marathon County Health Department issued a statement saying a child had died while being treated for the virus in Marshfield.

The hospital says it is alerting both staff and visitors of the possible infection and is taking steps to prevent further illness.

For more information on how to protect you and your family from the virus, click on the link below.

In addition, we have posted the family's press release to local media.

Press Release: June 17th, 2009

Emily Eaton, a local 12 year old girl, died on Wednesday, June 17th in the pediatric intensive care unit at St. Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield, Wisconsin. Emily was diagnosed with H1N1 flu (swine flu), which likely was a factor contributing to her death. Emily, who recently completed sixth grade at John Muir Middle School in Wausau, Wisconsin, is the daughter of Dale and Jennifer Eaton of the Town of Rib Mountain.

Emily was admitted to Aspirus Wausau Hospital on Thursday, June 11th, with what appeared to be a case of pneumonia. On Saturday, June 13th, because her condition worsened, she was transported by helicopter to St. Joseph's Hospital, where she was diagnosed with the H1N1 flu. This form of Influenza A may have contributed to severe respiratory problems and multiple cardiac arrests. Emily was particularly vulnerable to the H1N1 virus because she suffered from episodic immune deficiencies since birth. Therefore, doctors believe her symptoms and the ensuing complications were far more severe than would be experienced by a person with a normal immune system. Neither the family nor health officials has ascertained where or how Emily contracted the illness.

Emily's parents described her as, ?a joyful, amazing gift that we were blessed to have in our lives. She was one of God's masterpieces, and made most people with whom she came in contact be better people. She was truly, and objectively, angelic. Her loss leaves an intensely painful and unexpected void in our world, and in the worlds of many, many people.? The parents said that Emily, who attended Rib Mountain Elementary School prior to entering middle school, was well-known and beloved at school and throughout the community. According to Mary John, a close family friend, Emily, who was diagnosed with a mild form of autism at age 3, ?had to be one of the most loving, giving, unselfish human beings ever to have lived. She spread joy with her hugs, unending compliments and pervasive happiness. She never met a person she didn't like, and if you ever met Emily, you would not soon forget her.?

The Eaton family has asked for privacy in this matter so that they can focus on caring for their surviving child. For more information regarding the H1N1 flu virus, please contact the Marathon County Health Department.

 

[Chuck]

Re: Swine Flu death in Marathon County- 4th in WI

http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/article/20090621/WDH0101/90621012/1981

June 21, 2009

Wis. testing finds mostly youth ill from swine flu

By ROBERT IMRIE
Associated Press Writer

The death of a 12-year-old Wausau area girl ? the fourth person and second child to die of swine flu in Wisconsin ? continues a pattern of the virus sickening more youths than adults, according to state health officials.

Of Wisconsin?s nearly 3,500 confirmed or probable swine flu cases as of Friday, 74 percent were people under the age of 19, said Seth Boffeli, a spokesman for the state Department of Health and Family Services.

?We are watching closely that such a high percentage of those infected are school-age children,? he said.

More traditional, seasonal flu strains generally hit elderly people the hardest, at least hard enough for them to see a doctor more than younger people, he said.

Marathon County Health Officer Julie Willems Van Dijk of Wausau said it?s unknown why the number of young people with swine flu is so much higher.

?Does someone exposed to swine flu in the 1970s have some protection a young child doesn?t have? We don?t know that, but there is certainly investigation about it,? she said. ?There really is no indication the virus is becoming stronger or more virulent.?

Using data up to June 11, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday there were 21,449 confirmed cases of swine flu and 87 deaths. The deaths occurred in 20 states. The first cases of swine flu were discovered in Mexico and the United States in March and April.

Wisconsin health officials have reported three additional deaths since June 11, including Emily Eaton of Wausau. She died Wednesday at St. Joseph Children?s Hospital in Marshfield.

Her father, Dale, said Friday the family has no idea how the recent sixth-grader contracted the illness. She was admitted to a Wausau hospital early June 12 for what appeared to be a case of pneumonia and the rapid test for swine flu was negative, the father said. Her condition worsened by June 13 and she was transferred to the Marshfield hospital, where more testing discovered swine flu.

His daughter was particularly vulnerable to the H1N1 virus because she suffered from episodic immune deficiency since birth and she had a mild form of autism, he said.

?She started to deteriorate really fast, like someone turned on the switch,? the 44-year-old father said. ?She went from singing songs to being non-responsive.?

The father said he has tested positive for swine flu, too, but feels fine and suffered no more than a sniffle.

Given his daughter?s immune deficiency, the father said the family was extra cautious ? ?We are kind of type A clean people? ? and even canceled a trip to Mexico in March because the girl was ill.

There was relief the trip was scrapped once swine flu surfaced, which makes it even more ironic that Emily died of the disease, said Eaton, an attorney.

?We were thinking, ?Oh my God, so glad we didn?t go because if our child ever got the swine flu, she?s a goner,?? Eaton recalled. ?We have not gone anywhere. Our trips were like to Wal-Mart and the park. I don?t recall leaving town recently. That is the curious nature of this.?

But his daughter was outgoing, hugging dozens of people a day sometimes, so she had close contact with many people in recent weeks, the father said.

?If there is any child by the nature of her personality who probably would be exposed, it probably would be our child,? he said. ?She was probably the classic victim ? young, with compromised health issues.?

Wisconsin?s other three deaths ? two adults and a child ? occurred in Milwaukee. The adolescent was 14-year-old Tiara Mosley, a freshman at James Madison Academic Campus who was taken to the hospital June 1 and died June 15.

Wisconsin?s nearly 3,500 confirmed and probable swine flu cases, including 51 in Marathon County, where Eaton died, is the most of any state. Two-thirds of the cases have been in Milwaukee County, Boffeli said.

State officials have attributed Wisconsin?s high number to an aggressive testing policy early in the outbreak and the fact the state has four laboratories to do the work.

?We did not really have backlogs so we were able to process the tests quickly,? Boffeli said.

The state had tested 11,069 specimens for the disease by June 11, with 27 percent being positive, he said.

Some states only tested for the illness if people got sick enough to be hospitalized or had severe symptoms, he said.

Early on, Wisconsin?s testing found 90 percent were negative for swine flu, leading to now only testing cases with severe symptoms, he said.

People with high risk for the N1H1 virus include pregnant women, children from birth to age 2, adults 65 years and older, people with certain chronic conditions and residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities.

Typically, flu viruses tend to disappear in the summer months as the weather gets hotter but the swine flu virus is still circulating, Boffeli said.

?Whether it is peaking or has reached its plateau is a little tough to tell,? he said. ?There is no need to panic but at the same time people need to be aware.?

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Swine Flu death in Marathon County- 4th in WI

Source: http://www.waow.com/Global/story.asp?S=10575564

Father of H1N1 victim says daughter 'was a gift from God'
Posted: Jun 22, 2009 4:51 PM EST
Featured Video

*
Father of H1N1 victim speaks out

by Meg Bonacorsi

WAUSAU (WAOW) -- Now you may remember that just last week a 12-year-old Wausau girl died from the H1N1 virus.

But Emily Eaton's family doesn't want her to be remembered as a victim.

Her father says she had a form of autism that made her remarkably compassionate and outgoing.

Dale Eaton says, "If we went into a restaurant in Wausau with Emily we would come out knowing 40 people. And they would be waving 'goodbye Emily, so nice to meet you.' And she would say 'that's wonderful, one more hug before I go?' She truly was a gift from God."

Emily's dad says she gave out hundreds of hugs - mostly to complete strangers - every day.

"She'd say, 'boy you sure are beautiful.' Even if they perhaps weren't objectively. And then she'd say, 'would you like a hug?' She was more concerned about the happiness of others than her own. If someone indicated that they were sad, she was relentless in terms of making them happy."

Eaton continues, "If she got her favorite toy for Christmas and if two seconds later she thought that would make another kid happy, she would have given that toy away. Absolutely no interest in possessions or some of the other worldly things that sometimes occupy us."

Emily had to spend a lot of time in hospitals because of her disease. Her dad says, while there, she was mostly concerned about the well-being of other patients. That's why a trust fund has been set up called Emily's Path. The money will be used to help families with autistic children pay for treatments or programs they can't afford.

Her dad says, "She touched a lot of people because she was remarkably compassionate, and outgoing. We want to continue that effort because that's how we keep her spirit alive."

Here's more on Emily's Path as submitted by a family friend:

Emily Eaton's path through life held many challenges. With the help of her parents, sister, Tanya, the rest of her family, and friends, she overcame some of these challenges, coped with others, and, like all of us, was defeated by a few. Despite these challenges, or maybe because of them, Emily decided early in her short life to live differently than do most of us. She decided to love others more than she loved herself.

As a result, she chose to always think the best of everyone, she happily turned the other cheek, and she thought of others first. This was Emily's Path.

The Eaton Family is establishing a fund to memorialize Emily that will be called Emily's Path. It is a way for each of us to step onto the Path even in a small way to carry forward her wonderful spirit of caring for others and the love she shared with everyone she met.

At a later time, the family will determine specifically where the funds will be directed. These funds will be used, in any case, to assist parents of autistic children to provide those children with opportunities for training, therapy and fun.

If you wish to participate in Emily's Path, please send checks to:

Emily's Path

c/o Eaton, John, Overbey, Welles, LLP

513 Grand Street

Wausau, WI 54403