kiwibird
Editor, Senior Moderator
Swine flu affecting healthy Victorians
Julia Medew
July 14, 2009
OTHERWISE healthy Victorians are being admitted to intensive care units with swine flu, but doctors believe the state may be at the tail end of its outbreak.
An analysis of the first six Victorians to be admitted to intensive care units with the virus has revealed that two previously healthy men, one aged 24 and another 41, became seriously ill with the H1N1 swine flu virus last month.
The 24-year-old man was admitted to intensive care after he presented to hospital with a one-week history of dry cough, fever, headache, abdominal pain and vomiting, the analysis published yesterday in the online edition of The Medical Journal of Australia said.
The 41-year-old man had been suffering a cough, malaise, back pains and rigours ? shaking that occurs with high fever ? before he was admitted to intensive care. Both men have since recovered.
One of the authors and director of intensive care at Western Hospital, Craig French, said although people with pre-existing medical conditions such as severe asthma, diabetes and obesity, were at most risk of becoming seriously ill with the virus, youth and good health did not preclude the possibility of severe respiratory failure.
"This illness can affect previously well people," he said yesterday.
Victorian health authorities have consistently refused to say in recent months if previously healthy people with no risk factors have been admitted to intensive care with the virus or are among the 11 Victorians who have died with it.
Dr French said although the virus had contributed to a spike in flu-related intensive care admissions in recent months, he believed the virus was slowing down.
"In Victoria at least, it looks like we're at the tail end of the epidemic ? anecdotally there are less patients in ICU than there were a week ago. I'm hopeful that in Victoria we have passed the worst of this influenza outbreak," he said.
With KATE BENSON and ANDREW CLENNELL
http://www.theage.com.au/national/swine-flu-affecting-healthy-victorians-20090713-ditb.html
Julia Medew
July 14, 2009
OTHERWISE healthy Victorians are being admitted to intensive care units with swine flu, but doctors believe the state may be at the tail end of its outbreak.
An analysis of the first six Victorians to be admitted to intensive care units with the virus has revealed that two previously healthy men, one aged 24 and another 41, became seriously ill with the H1N1 swine flu virus last month.
The 24-year-old man was admitted to intensive care after he presented to hospital with a one-week history of dry cough, fever, headache, abdominal pain and vomiting, the analysis published yesterday in the online edition of The Medical Journal of Australia said.
The 41-year-old man had been suffering a cough, malaise, back pains and rigours ? shaking that occurs with high fever ? before he was admitted to intensive care. Both men have since recovered.
One of the authors and director of intensive care at Western Hospital, Craig French, said although people with pre-existing medical conditions such as severe asthma, diabetes and obesity, were at most risk of becoming seriously ill with the virus, youth and good health did not preclude the possibility of severe respiratory failure.
"This illness can affect previously well people," he said yesterday.
Victorian health authorities have consistently refused to say in recent months if previously healthy people with no risk factors have been admitted to intensive care with the virus or are among the 11 Victorians who have died with it.
Dr French said although the virus had contributed to a spike in flu-related intensive care admissions in recent months, he believed the virus was slowing down.
"In Victoria at least, it looks like we're at the tail end of the epidemic ? anecdotally there are less patients in ICU than there were a week ago. I'm hopeful that in Victoria we have passed the worst of this influenza outbreak," he said.
With KATE BENSON and ANDREW CLENNELL
http://www.theage.com.au/national/swine-flu-affecting-healthy-victorians-20090713-ditb.html