Upswing in serious H1N1 cases alarming

[Ronan Kelly]

Upswing in serious H1N1 cases alarming
DeSoto County girl is most recent death
By Tom Charlier
Posted January 26, 2010 at 2:13 p.m. , updated January 26, 2010 at 11:15 p.m.
A recent uptick in the number of serious swine flu cases -- including one that resulted in the death of a 14-year-old DeSoto County girl -- has prompted local health officials to renew their calls for residents to get vaccinated against the H1N1 virus.

Although the total number of swine flu cases remains low compared to levels in early fall, the percentage of flu victims requiring intensive-care treatment has risen substantially, said Dr. Keith English, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center.

Seven of the 18 patients (39 percent) who have been admitted to Le Bonheur so far this month for likely H1N1 infection have wound up in ICU. Previously, fewer than 14 percent of the flu patients had been needing intensive care.

Le Bonheur officials this week confirmed that the 14-year-old DeSoto girl died from H1N1 complications. Hospital spokeswoman Anne Glankler, citing privacy regulations, said the victim's name and other details would not be made public.

The girl was a student in the DeSoto County school system. But Patsy Davis, a nurse with the system, said the family requested that no information about her be released.

The girl was the fourth child to die with swine flu at Le Bonheur since August.

English, who also is a professor of pediatrics at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, said the recent cases underscore the need for residents to receive the vaccine. Although the spread of H1N1 tapered off after surging in August and September, he said, "we might be seeing the start of another wave" of infections.

The vaccine is available for free at Health Department clinics throughout Shelby County. Free immunizations also are being provided at Walmart stores in Memphis and across the county through the end of February.

Dr. Helen Morrow, chief medical officer with the Health Department, said that although it's the time of year when the seasonal flu usually becomes prevalent, "H1N1 still seems to be the predominant strain that's circulating out there."

-- Tom Charlier: 529-2572
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/jan/26/girl-14-dies-complications-swine-flu-virus/

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Upswing in serious H1N1 cases alarming

Le Bonheur Sees Spike in H1N1

Updated: Tuesday, 26 Jan 2010, 9:21 PM CST
Published : Tuesday, 26 Jan 2010, 9:21 PM CST

Doctors at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center are on high alert tonight after a spike in the number of children with flu-like symptoms. Right now, they believe all cases to be the novel H1N1 swine flu virus.

Doctors are warning people not to become complacent because there is less flu activity right now. Just recently, the hospital treated a 14 year old child who later died from this H1N1 virus. Right now, doctors are unsure what will happen in the weeks and months to come, but they say it could be another wave of the deadly bug.

In a brief press conference, Doctor Keith English told reporters the H1N1 swine flu never went away after the high number of cases back in late August and early September.

"So we still had children admitted with H1N1 influenza in November, in December, into this month," says English.

While the cases decreased in number, the virus was still circulating. And just recently, numbers have started to climb, again, with increased admissions to the intensive care unit.

"Over the past 3 weeks or so, we've had about 17 or 18 admissions to Le Bonheur with confirmed influenza. I should say that we believe all or almost all of these will prove to be the novel H1N1 influenza virus."
Infectious disease doctors believe its the only virus circulating in significant amounts in the community right now.
"I think 7 of the 17 or 18 have been admitted to the ICU [intensive care unit]. So that's a bit of a shift of what we saw before."

Last fall, the children's hospital set up a tent outside the emergency department to screen children whose parents were fearful their children contracted the highly contagious virus. The majority of those cases were minor and the patients were sent home. Of the 245 kids admitted to the hospital, 30 to 40 were admitted to ICU, and 4 children died.

"We have an advantage now that we didn't have in August. We have the vaccine available. People can get it, its effective, it will help protect you and your loved ones from the flu."

With regular flu season among us, doctors are keeping a close eye on both strains of influenza.

"Two viruses are worse than one, so if we start seeing seasonal flu plus H1N1, there is a potential of greater proportion of kids becoming sick from that."

Right now, the CDC [Centers for Disease Control] estimates only about 25 percent of the population who had access to the vaccine actually received it. English says that means millions are protected, but even millions more are susceptible to the deadly virus.

"These vaccines are highly regulated and tested, we know they are effective, they are life saving."

Remember, children under 6 months old are not allowed to receive the vaccination, so the only way to protect kids that young, is by protecting yourself.

http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/news/tennessee/012610_le-bonheur-sees-spike-in-h1n1

 

[ms4920]

Re: Upswing in serious H1N1 cases alarming

Looking at this, do you think it is in a more virulent form now? There really is no information on these children, which the parents have that right, to see if they were healthy or had underlying conditions.
Very sad, none the less and people have to get that vaccine for their children.

 

[tesseract]

Re: Upswing in serious H1N1 cases alarming

There was another child death here at Le Bonheur today


http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/jan/27/memphis-boy-12-dies-swine-flu-complications/

A 12-year-old Memphis boy has died of complications from the H1N1 swine-flu virus, local health officials confirmed this morning.

The death was the second from swine flu reported in recent days at Le Bonheur Children?s Medical Center, the other being a 14-year-old DeSoto County girl. Since August, there have been five probable or confirmed H1N1 deaths at Le Bonheur and seven throughout Shelby County.

Citing federal privacy laws, hospital officials declined to release the latest victim?s name or any other details.

 

[Corn]

Re: Upswing in serious H1N1 cases alarming

So the children die and we assume they had no vax? Did they have the vax?

Maybe another strain? Low Reactor? Wave 3?

 

[ms4920]

Re: Upswing in serious H1N1 cases alarming

Apparently, from what I have read, the families will not give out any info. So, we do not know. It would be nice to know if they were vaccinated or had underlying conditions. But it is there child.
Just a clarification, the hospital stated they had 2 die, which they did, but one was a Mississippi Resident being treated in Tennessee, while the other was a Tennessee Resident. Still is not good

 

[tesseract]

Re: Upswing in serious H1N1 cases alarming

Apparently, from what I have read, the families will not give out any info. So, we do not know. It would be nice to know if they were vaccinated or had underlying conditions. But it is there child.
Just a clarification, the hospital stated they had 2 die, which they did, but one was a Mississippi Resident being treated in Tennessee, while the other was a Tennessee Resident. Still is not good

As someone that lives in Desoto County (Mississippi) I can offer some insight here.

Desoto County is a suburb of Memphis. We live in Desoto County, but my husband works in Memphis. I am self-employed, but all my clients are in Memphis. All of my children's doctors are in Memphis, etc..Memphis is just across the state line - so...literally a hop, skip and jump away.

Two children - one in Memphis, one in Desoto County, is, to us, still considered a Memphis Metropolitan event. Le Bonheur is the local children's hospital - any kids in this area that are seriously ill will be treated there.

I can also tell you that the vaccine is widely available, but almost no one I know has taken advantage of it (other than me and mine of course, and my sister and her family). Almost EVERYONE I have spoken to about it completely discards this flu as serious and/or they almost all cite the vaccine as "dangerous" because it is "untested". That includes our family doctor, who told me on Tuesday that she herself wouldn't get the H1N1 vaccine because it is "too new and untested"...(time for a new doc, in my opinion). She did admit to getting her seasonal flu shot this year. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Very sad......

 

[ms4920]

Re: Upswing in serious H1N1 cases alarming

Great info. I live in Northern California and here it is the big push, to get the vaccine. We have had many deaths here and almost everyone I know has received it.
I hope people get the message that this is nothing to fool around with. I am glad your family got the vaccine. I am very surprised at the Md, though. Wow, here the Md's are almost pushing it down your throat. I do have one Md however, who says the same as yours, that it is too new. I have 3 Md's, multiple problems.
Anyway, I hope it slows down there for all of you and thanks again for giving me the info about the area.