Media reports of H1N1 (Swine Flu) deaths in United States

2009 Swine flu deaths in United States – media reports

Prologue Mexico – the 1^st  death on April 13, 2009

“May 1, 2009—When Maria Adela Gutierrez died just weeks ago, her illness was a mystery. Now, experts have uncovered clues as to how she became Mexico’s first fatality in the 2009 swine flu outbreak.

© 2009 National Geographic (AP)

Unedited Transcript

Mexicos first confirmed death from the H1N1 strain of influenza, known commonly as swine flu, happened more than a week before doctors confirmed her ailment.

The 39-year-old door-to-door tax inspector was hospitalized with acute respiratory problems.

Maria Adela Gutierrez had symptoms much like this woman now in the hospital, but doctors couldnt figure what was wrong with her. She arrived gasping for air her hands and feet blue from oxygen-starved blood.

They administered antibiotics, but she only got worse. They put her on a ventilator, and sent test samples to a lab.

On her third day, test results indicated coronavirus.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Jesus Manuel Salcedo Cruz, Gen. Director, Hospital Gral. Dr. Aurelio Valdivieso: “Her evolution from day 9 to day 10, and the lab tests that were done, showed that it was not a typical case, as with other pneumonias contracted in the area. She presented altered liver enzyme function and low leukocytes, which implies a different type of problem.”

A day later Gutierrez died. And it was days later before her illness was identified as a mutated swine flu virus. “  http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/05/090501-mexico-firstdeath-video-ap.html

 

‘REGULAR FLU” March, 2009:  4 children in MA:  “Officials say a 12-year-old girl from Worcester County died on Sunday from complications from the flu. She is the only child among those who recently died who did get the flu shot this year. 

According to the MDPH, the girl had no underlying health problems.

Just two days earlier on March 14, a 15-year-old Newton boy died from influenza-related pneumonia.

These two cases are the latest in a series of flu-related deaths among children.

The first confirmed pediatric death associated with the flu involved a 6-year-old child from Suffolk County. The child, who died on March 2, suffered from a number of health problems that officials believe contributed to complications from the flu.

The second flu death happened on March 1, but was just recently reported to the DPH. This case involved a 14-year-old child from Middlesex County, who also had health problems that officials believe contributed to complications from the flu. “  http://wbztv.com/local/flu.season.emergency.2.678871.html

 

1 RULED OUT/1 UNCONFIRMED April 28, 2009: CA “The Los Angeles County coroner’s office said today that further testing indicated neither of two flu-related deaths being investigated in Los Angeles County appeared to be linked to the swine flu.

Coroner’s officials this morning said they suspected the deaths in Long Beach and La Mirada might be tied to the swine flu. But officials said the Long Beach man was not suspected of having the swine flu and that preliminary lab tests indicated the death of a La Mirada man  was “not related to swine flu.”

More tests are being done, officials said.

 

Coroner’s spokesman Craig Harvey said Bellflower Medical Center reported the death of a 33-year-old Long Beach resident Monday afternoon who had symptoms resembling swine flu.  The man was taken to the hospital Saturday, complaining of shortness of breath and lymphoma. Doctors later diagnosed the patient with pneumonia, Harvey said.

The second case involves a 45-year-old man from La Mirada, whose death was reported Monday to the coroner’s office. The man died April 22 at Coast Plaza Doctors Hospital in Norwalk. Doctors said the man died of pneumonia, but the L.A. County Health Department refused to accept the death certificate signed by the private doctor, Harvey said. The case was then referred to the coroner’s office, which will conduct further investigation.

—Andrew Blankstein”

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/04/coroner-doubts-2-men-died-of-swine-flu.html

“Swine flu has been ruled out as the cause of one of two recent deaths being investigated by the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.

Coroner’s Assistant Chief Ed Winter said Tuesday that swine flu was not found in a La Mirada man.

Winter says lab testing is pending in the case of a Long Beach man but swine flu is now not suspected.

Both deaths were reported to the coroner’s office on Monday.

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=157&sid=6302789

CONFIRMED April 29, 2009:  TX:  CDC confirms first death in US from Swine Flu – 22 mo old boy who got a fever on 4/8/2009 and was visiting from Mexico.  http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20090429/cdc-confirms-first-swine-flu-death-us

 

UNCONFIRMED  May 4, 2009:  CT:  “Officials in Stamford, Connecticut, believe the death of a nine-year-old boy early Monday morning is linked to swine flu.

Stamford’s public health emergency response coordinator, Ann Fountain, said the health department is taking every precaution to investigate any connection the boy’s death might have had to swine flu, which resulted in one death since national alerts were issued last week.”  http://theoriginalgreenwichdiva.com/2009/05/05/death-in-stamford-connecticut-linked-to-swine-flu/

 

CONFIRMED May 5, 2009:  Harlingen TX, First American Dies of Swine Flu.  Woman “already ailing”, school teacher near Mexican border.  NYT http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/06/health/06flu.html?_r=1

 

CONFIRMED May 5/6, 2009:  Corpus Christi, TX:  “CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Texas health officials say a 33-year-old Corpus Christi man died earlier this month of swine flu.  Corpus Christi-Nueces County Health District’s Dr. William Burgin Jr. said Friday that the man died May 5 or May 6 after becoming sick a few days earlier. He says the man preexisting medical conditions, including heart problems, that made it more difficult for him to survive any viral illness.  Burgin did not identify the man but said he was a single parent of three children.”  http://www.thesunnews.com/253/story/901433.html

 

CONFIRMED May (First Week), 2009:  WA:  “A man in his thirties, from Snohomish County, Washington state, died last week from swine flu complications, authorities announced yesterday. The man had an underlying heart condition. Officials say this is the first death in Washington linked to the H1N1 swine flu virus.”  http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/149470.php

 

CONFIRMED May 14, 2009:  Maricopa County, AZ: “The Maricopa Department of Public Heath confirmed Thursday afternoon the county’s first death from complications of the swine flu. A woman in her late 40’s, suffering from the flu and an underlying lung disease, died last week from complications of H1N1 influenza, commonly known as swine flu. She was the first death from the new flu strain in Arizona and the fourth death in the nation.”  In a release, Director of the Maricopa Department of Public Heath Bob England said the death would not alter the department’s course of action in fighting the flu and was no cause for alarm.”  http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/05/14/20090514ariz-swine0514-ON.html

 

CONFIRMED May (Second Week), 2009:  AZ:  “(AP) — [May 19, 2009] PHOENIX – A 57-year-old Arizona woman has apparently become the sixth person in the U.S. to die with swine flu.

1. The woman, a resident in Pinal County, died last week.”  

http://www.al.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/national-17/1242789389299310.xml&storylist=health

CONFIRMED May 15, 2009:  Tucson, AZ:  “TUCSON – Pima County health officials say a 13-year-old boy from Tucson has become the third person in Arizona to die with swine flu.  A spokeswoman says the teenager, a Tucson middle school student, died Friday of complications from the flu. He had been hospitalized May 10.

The Arizona Department of Health Services confirmed test results.” http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/05/20/20090520swine-tucson0520-ON.html

 

SUSPECTED BUT TESTED NEGATIVE ON AUTOPSY May 16, 2009:  Little Rock, Arkansas:  Man dies, tested positive for several strains of flu.  Later on autopsy tested negative for swine flu.  “LITTLE ROCK (AP) — An offshore oil worker who died at a Little Rock hospital tested positive for several strains of flu, potentially meaning swine flu contributed to his death, authorities said Sunday.  Pulaski County Coroner Garland Camper said the 28-year-old went to the hospital Friday night for treatment and died early Saturday morning.

Camper said tests came back positive for more than one strain of the flu, requiring his office to explore whether swine flu played a part in the death.

Camper declined to identify the man, who he said suffered from flulike symptoms for six weeks before seeking medical attention.

The coroner said the man’s body would undergo an autopsy today at the state Crime Laboratory in Little Rock and further tests would be conducted.

Camper said investigators were still trying to piece together when the man came inland and whether he had traveled to Mexico or any other area affected by the virus recently.”  http://www.baxterbulletin.com/article/20090518/NEWS01/905180317

“Over the weekend the health department tested a person who coroners thought might have died from this new flu strain but we have now learned that person tested negative.  “The Pulaski County coroner had released the media that there was a possible death from swine flu. We tested in our lab, and that person did not die of swine flu.”  http://www.fox16.com/news/local/story/Possible-swine-flu-death-autopsy-results-are/Joy5lgh33UunXmSiP_FPMg.cspx?rss=315

CONFIRMED May 18, 2009:  Borough of Queens, New York, NY:  “Mitchell Wiener, 55, died at 6:17 p.m.[on May 18]  at Flushing Hospital Medical Center, six days after he got sick and four days after he was hospitalized with a temperature of 103.   “He was a well-liked and devoted educator, and his death is a loss for our schools and our city,” said Mayor Bloomberg, who closed five more Queens schools Sunday.   Four students at Intermediate School 238 in Hollis also have confirmed cases of the new H1N1 virus, but Wiener had a particularly bad case that shut down his kidneys and ravaged his lungs.”  http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/05/17/2009-05-17_assisant_principal_dies_from_swine_flu.html

 CONFIRMED May 19, 2009:  Missouri “A 44-year-old St. Louis County man is the first person in Missouri to die after becoming ill with swine flu.  According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the man traveled last month to Mexico where the 2009 H1N1 flu virus first emerged. He returned on April 27 and became ill a week later.  The man went to an urgent care center on May 9 and was admitted to a hospital the same day. He died from medical complications related to the flu. 

http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/1205608.html

CONFIRMED May 20, 2009:  Salt Lake City, UT:  “SALT LAKE CITY — State health officials are reporting the first death associated with swine flu in Utah.  David Sundwall, executive director of the Utah Department of Health, says a 21-year-old man with swine flu died Wednesday morning at a Salt Lake City hospital.  Sundwall says the man was overweight and had chronic medical conditions, including respiratory problems and other health conditions that put him at risk.”    http://www.modbee.com/breakingnews/story/711263.html

CONFIRMED: May 23/24, 2009: New York, NY:  Queens woman in her fifties (only detail available).  http://www.nypost.com/seven/05252009/news/regionalnews/queens_woman_citys_second_swine_flu_deat_170871.htm

CONFIRMED: May 25, 2009: Chicago, IL:  No details, reported as the first Chicago-area H1N1 death.  http://cbs2chicago.com/local/chicago.swine.flu.2.1018780.html