Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25721713-12377,00.html
Swine flu will kill more children, says disease expert
July 02, 2009
Article from: Australian Associated Press
TWICE as many children will die of swine flu in the next 12 months compared to the number of deaths from regular influenza, a leading disease expert suggests.
But Robert Booy believes the number of deaths will still be fairly small - around 10 or 12 in a year.
Three to six children die every year from regular influenza, he says.
"It (death from swine flu) can occur in a healthy child although most of them we believe will occur in a child with a problem, say a chronic heart problem, long-standing lung, kidney, liver (problems) or diabetes," Professor Booy told ABC radio.
"The likelihood is with this virus we'll see more of the small number of severe (cases) than we do normally."
Prof Booy is the co-director of the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases at The Children's Hospital at Westmead in Sydney. His comments follow the death yesterday of a three-year-old Victorian boy with swine flu. The family have requested the boy's medical history not be released.
"In the most part it's mild but it's a double-truth," Prof Booy said of swine flu.
"You're always going to get a small number of very serious cases as we've seen with adult deaths and we expect to have some children dying too."
Swine flu will kill more children, says disease expert
July 02, 2009
Article from: Australian Associated Press
TWICE as many children will die of swine flu in the next 12 months compared to the number of deaths from regular influenza, a leading disease expert suggests.
But Robert Booy believes the number of deaths will still be fairly small - around 10 or 12 in a year.
Three to six children die every year from regular influenza, he says.
"It (death from swine flu) can occur in a healthy child although most of them we believe will occur in a child with a problem, say a chronic heart problem, long-standing lung, kidney, liver (problems) or diabetes," Professor Booy told ABC radio.
"The likelihood is with this virus we'll see more of the small number of severe (cases) than we do normally."
Prof Booy is the co-director of the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases at The Children's Hospital at Westmead in Sydney. His comments follow the death yesterday of a three-year-old Victorian boy with swine flu. The family have requested the boy's medical history not be released.
"In the most part it's mild but it's a double-truth," Prof Booy said of swine flu.
"You're always going to get a small number of very serious cases as we've seen with adult deaths and we expect to have some children dying too."