UT Staff Member Dies of Swine Flu

[JimO]

Source: http://www.statesman.com/blogs/cont...2009/10/01/ut_staff_member_dies_of_swine.html

UT staff member dies of swine flu
By Mary Ann Roser | Thursday, October 1, 2009, 02:51 PM

A University of Texas staff member died of swine flu over the weekend, UT has just announced.

UT officials declined to name the person. Bob Harkins, associate vice president for campus safety and security, said the person was a woman in her 40s who did not work in education but rather ?in one of our service units ? anything from housekeeping to working at counter in some kind of retail operation.?

The woman?s last day at work was Sept. 22, Harkins said.

She was hospitalized at St. David?s Medical Center, but he did not know if she died there. He also did not know whether she lived in Travis County.

Two other people have died in Travis County and 21 have been hospitalized since the outbreak began in April, according to Carole Barasch, spokeswoman for the Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department.

?It?s very tragic and tries to point up the severity this illness can have,? Harkins said. ?We?ve been fortunate we have not have had hospitalizations and deaths? in the campus community.

The H1N1 swine flu virus has caused mild to moderate illness in most cases. The UT person who died had underlying medical conditions that contributed to her death, Harkins said.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: UT Staff Member Dies of Swine Flu

Source: http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/ut_staff_member_dies_due_to_h1n1_virus

UT staff member dies due to H1N1 virus
Hospitalized and died over the weekend

Updated: Thursday, 01 Oct 2009, 4:48 PM CDT
Published : Thursday, 01 Oct 2009, 3:28 PM CDT

* Jackie Vega

AUSTIN (KXAN) - A University of Texas staff member was hospitalized and died due to H1N1 throughout the weekend, according to a University of Texas official.

Officials say the female employee worked at a service-support desk on campus. Her last day of work was Sept. 22. She was hospitalized in the next day or two, and died on Sept. 27.

The woman had pre-existing health conditions, university officials say, which health authorities have said exacerbate the risks from the flu.

"The university has expressed its heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of this valued staff member," school officials said in a prepared statement. "We ask everyone to be alert to the more severe symptoms that should trigger prompt consultation with your health care provider."

"This is a sober reminder of our community's responsibility to do all we can to prevent spread of the flu."

Officials sent out a health alert to all students after confirming the death.

"Next week the University Health Services (UHS) begins their seasonal flu shot clinics," the alert said. "Please take time to get your seasonal flu vaccine either here on campus or at one of the other many locations in the Austin community. UHS also plans to offer the Novel H1N1 Virus Vaccine when it is available for adults. Further announcements will follow once details are known."