Ronan Kelly
Retired 2020
Swine Flu Kills 71-Year-Old Woman
By Robin Williams Adams
THE LEDGER
Published: Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 9:06 p.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 9:06 p.m.
LAKELAND | A 71-year-old woman is the oldest person in Polk County and the sixth countywide to die with H1N1 swine flu.
She had "multiple chronic medical conditions," health officials said.
Her death is among a total 167 lab-confirmed H1N1 deaths reported in Florida through Tuesday.
The first Polk County death from the new flu strain was a 31-year-old man who died July 16. The age of local residents who have died has risen since then: a 34-year-old man was second, a 46-year-old woman third, a 56-year-old woman fourth and a 59-year-old man fifth.
Health officials do not release the names or hometowns of those who died.
All had other medical issues or conditions that made them more vulnerable, health officials said, although that hasn't always been true statewide.
"In most people, it's mild, but it can be serious in some," said Dr. Daniel Haight, director of the Polk County Health Department.
Last week's flu activity in Polk County was categorized by state health officials as localized, a step between sporadic and widespread, as it was in most of Central Florida.
Hillsborough County, however, was among five Florida counties with widespread flu activity.
The ages of other new deaths reported statewide ranged from a 38-year-old woman in Pinellas County to a 78-year-old woman in Palm Beach County. The Florida Department of Health released that information Thursday
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http://www.theledger.com/article/20.../1134?Title=Swine-Flu-Kills-71-Year-Old-Woman
By Robin Williams Adams
THE LEDGER
Published: Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 9:06 p.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 9:06 p.m.
LAKELAND | A 71-year-old woman is the oldest person in Polk County and the sixth countywide to die with H1N1 swine flu.
She had "multiple chronic medical conditions," health officials said.
Her death is among a total 167 lab-confirmed H1N1 deaths reported in Florida through Tuesday.
The first Polk County death from the new flu strain was a 31-year-old man who died July 16. The age of local residents who have died has risen since then: a 34-year-old man was second, a 46-year-old woman third, a 56-year-old woman fourth and a 59-year-old man fifth.
Health officials do not release the names or hometowns of those who died.
All had other medical issues or conditions that made them more vulnerable, health officials said, although that hasn't always been true statewide.
"In most people, it's mild, but it can be serious in some," said Dr. Daniel Haight, director of the Polk County Health Department.
Last week's flu activity in Polk County was categorized by state health officials as localized, a step between sporadic and widespread, as it was in most of Central Florida.
Hillsborough County, however, was among five Florida counties with widespread flu activity.
The ages of other new deaths reported statewide ranged from a 38-year-old woman in Pinellas County to a 78-year-old woman in Palm Beach County. The Florida Department of Health released that information Thursday
-snip-
http://www.theledger.com/article/20.../1134?Title=Swine-Flu-Kills-71-Year-Old-Woman