H1N1 flu victim collapsed on way to hospital [Latest H1N1 updates downthread]

GuelphMercury.com ^ | June 24, 2009 | Raveena Aulakh

[metmom]

Within minutes, six-year-old Rubjit Thindal went from happily chatting in the back seat of the car to collapsing and dying in her father's arms.

"If we had known it was so serious, we would have called 911,'' Kuldip Thindal, Rubjit's distraught mother, said in Punjabi yesterday. "She just had a stomach ache -- she wasn't even crying.''

Rubjit was pronounced dead at hospital barely 24 hours after showing signs of a fever. Later, doctors told her parents she had the H1N1 influenza virus. She is believed to be the youngest person in Canada with the virus to have died.

[DvdMom]

Posted: Aug 27, 2009 8:19 AM CST
Updated: Aug 27, 2009 8:19 AM CST
Five WSU students test positive for H1N1 (Washington State)
http://www.kxly.com/Global/story.asp?S=11001314

Report: 30 Texas college students sick
Aug. 27, 2009, 12:22AM
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6588956.html

Swine flu confirmed on Pee Dee college campus (South Carolina)
Posted: Aug 26, 2009 4:53 PM CST
Updated: Aug 26, 2009 6:32 PM CST
http://www.wmbfnews.com/Global/story.asp?S=10998117

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[MarMema]

Thanks for posting these links. You are a treasure for keeping us all updated and pinged.

[DvdMom]

Thanks LucyT :)

Judge denies group’s bid to block flu vaccine

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/26/AR2009082601933.html?sub=AR

[Domestic Church]

Swine Flu Infects Children 14 Times More Than Elderly

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601202&sid=aa_UPQfegb1E

[Domestic Church]

Authorities confirmed a 12- or 13-year-old girl who was a student at Hancock Middle School in Kiln had died after suffering flulike symptoms

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20090827/NEWS/90827022/Kiln-student-may-be-2nd-Miss.-flu-death

Eyewitness News has confirmed that Hamilton County has its first recorded death from H1N1 flu or swine flu. the child was brought into T.C. Thompson Chidren’s Hospital and treated in the pediatric intensive care unit.

http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11002158

Vicksburg 15-Year-Old Dies In Clinic Waiting Room (Mississippi) This is the second death in a week for the Vicksburg Warren School District. On Sunday, 6-year-old Vshanti Washington died from bacterial meningitis. She was a first grade student at Dana Road Elementary School.

http://www.wapt.com/news/20586322/detail.html

[Brugmansian]

19 year old woman:

Swine flu suspected in death of Modesto school child-care worker

[Domestic Church]

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/08260901/H274Y_Misinformation.html

Over 50% of infections have no fever!!!!!

[Palladin]

This is tragic, the way it is taking down the young.

If I had young kids, I think I would start homeschooling because of this pandemic.

[WestCoastGal]

Thanks for keeping the thread updated - I’ve been moving so I appreciate being able to catch up here. :)

I think by the time we’re done this thread will be in the 1000’s - I pray we’re all still alive.

[DvdMom]

Commentary

Tamiflu Resistance in Northern California

Recombinomics Commentary 12:42
August 28, 2009
http://www.recombinomics.com/News/08280901/H274Y_CA.html

During this week, the CDPH Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Laboratory detected a specimen with the H275Y resistance mutation (associated with oseltamivir resistance); the result was confirmed by the CDC. This is the first time that this mutation has been detected by the VRDL and provides strong evidence for the importance of enhanced surveillance for antiviral resistance testing. The specimen was obtained from a hospitalized patient in Northern California.

The above comments are from the latest report from the California Department of Public Health and may be the first example of a hospitalized patient in the US who has H274Y and is not immuno-compromised. Earlier two immuno-compromised cancer patients were described in Seattle, in addition to two summer campers in North Carolina who were on prophylactic Tamiflu

Earlier a traveler from San Francisco was H274Y positive in Hong Kong, and had no reported Tamiflu exposure, raising concerns of an evolutionarily fit pandemic H1N1 circulating in northern California, since the infected travel was symptomatic during or shortly after deplaning form a non-stop flight originating in San Francisco.

The above description does not include Tamiflu use in the hospitalized patient, so it is unclear if the H274Y was detected prior to treatment or if treatment selected for H274Y. Prior cases developed resistance shortly after the start of treatment, raising concerns of H274Y circulation as minor component in worldwide infections, leading to increases in deaths as seen in California, or widespread outbreaks as seen in schools in the southern United States.

Moreover, the number of cases of resistance continues to rise. The latest WHO update on reported cases cites four for Japan, indicating another patient on prophylactic Tamiflu developed an infection which was H274Y positive.

More information on Tamiflu exposure linked to the hospitalized patient in northern California, as well as sequence data on the growing number of H274Y positive cases would be useful.

[DvdMom]

Over 50% of infections have no fever!!!!!

HATTIP & Thanks to freeper Domestic Church :)

Commentary

Misinformation Linked to Explosion of Swine Flu in US Schools
Recombinomics Commentary 22:42
August 26, 2009

A high number of students at Sylacauga city schools are reporting being sick, but it appears to be a stomach virus doing most of the damage right now instead of the H1N1 strain of influenza that has worried health officials around the world.

Lisa McGrady, the school system’s registered nurse, said students are fighting off strep throat, the flu and a stomach virus which are all making the rounds right now.

McGrady said her main complaint has been the stomach virus with students complaining of headaches and being nauseated but without any signs of fever.

The above comments describe a rapidly spreading pandemic H1N1 outbreak in Alabama (see map), but similar statements have been made by others regarding other swine flu outbreaks. 10-20% of the schools population is ill, and only a portion of the illnesses is attributed to swine flu. However, swine flu causes sore throats, has a gastrointestinal component, and over 50% of infections have no fever. Consequently, the above comments suggest there is little swine flu, even though step throat and upset stomachs generally do not affect 10-20% of the student population in August.

In addition to the above outbreak, there are similar outbreaks throughout Alabama, as well as other states in the south (see map) where the school season started several weeks ago. These other outbreaks include students that are influenza A positive and have flu-like symptoms. However, even in those outbreaks officials are stating that swine flu hasn’t been confirmed, even though there is little seasonal flu in August, and over 99% of influenza A positive infections are swine H1N1.

Thus, although it is clear that swine flu is spreading rapidly, the general public is confused by false statements by officials, testing limited to influenza A determinations, or the lack of any testing.

However, at this time of the year, it is clear that swine flu is accounting for the vast majority of absenteeism, and the infections include college as well as younger students. The older students are told to remain in their rooms and avoid health care centers because those facilities are being overwhelmed, and therefore cannot treat the more serious cases.

Because of the lack of testing, it remains unclear how many students are infected with Tamiflu resistant H1N1. Many schools are now recommending prophylactic Relenza, suggesting that Tamiflu resistance is more widespread than reported. Indeed the resistance may be contributing to the rapid spread and may be causing more significant problems in cases at risk patients.

The confusion caused by media broadcasts of misinformation should be addressed now, when diagnosis of swine flu can be accurately made in the absence of lab confirmation, and students lacking fever can be isolated.

Similarly, more information on the anti-viral sensitivity of the rapidly spreading H1N1 would be useful.

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/08260901/H274Y_Misinformation.html

Media Links

Recombinomics Presentations

Recombinomics Publications

Recombinomics Paper at Nature Precedings

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Myrddin]

I visited Sylacauga one evening in search of a restaurant for dinner and to shop at Walmart. My server at the restaurant said that walking around all night inside the air conditioned Walmart store is the principal source of entertainment for the locals.

[DvdMom]

It would spread very quick through Walmart with that scenario .

In other countries they actually closed video arcades to slow the spread of H1N1 ...

[DvdMom]

WHO Warns Of Severe Form Of Swine Flu

August 28, 2009 - 12:57 p.m. ET -

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/08/28/world/international-uk-flu-pandemic.html

[DvdMom]

August 28, 2009 in City

Resident’s death linked to swine flu

John Stucke
johnst@spokesman.com, (509) 459-5419 share
del.icio.usDiggNewsvineredditemailprint

A Spokane man in his 50s has died of complications from H1N1 influenza, aka swine flu – the second such death in the county.

The contagious virus has hospitalized seven people in Spokane in the past month.

Nineteen cases have been confirmed in the county, although the actual number of people sickened with H1N1 is probably far higher, said Dr. Joel McCullough, Spokane County health officer. Most people with the flu do not seek medical attention and only those cases requiring hospitalization or similar care are tested and confirmed by the state health officials.

The H1N1 virus is suspected of sickening a growing number of students at Washington State University.

WSU Health and Wellness Services has seen dozens of students complaining of flu-like symptoms.

The numbers have been so great that the university has begun referring students to Pullman Regional Hospital.

“We have seen many people today for H1N1 – 95 percent, I’d say, are students,” hospital spokesman Josh Harman said Thursday.

The waiting lines in the emergency room grew so quickly that hospital staff asked many of the students without underlying health problems such as asthma “to simply go home to rest, get fluids and not spread the disease.”

Most people sick with H1N1 have a mild bout of illness that can be eased by taking an over-the-counter painkiller such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

Doses of prescription flu medicines such as Tamiflu and Relenza are being reserved to treat the most severe cases.

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/aug/28/residents-death-linked-to-swine-flu/

[DvdMom]

Australia:

I survived swine flu and 15 days in a coma

Bianca Clare | 28th August 2009
http://www.dailymercury.com.au/story/2009/08/28/danny-dempsey-survived-swine-flu-15-days-in-coma/

DANNY Dempsey spent 15 days in an induced coma in the intensive care unit of Mackay Base Hospital battling life-threatening swine flu complications.

On Saturday, August 1, Danny travelled 700km from his home town of Malanda, near Atherton, via Cairns and Townsville hospitals in helicopters to Mackay Base Hospital because there were no vacant intensive care unit beds in North Queensland.

Earlier that week he had begun to feel the onset of mild flu-like symptoms.

He visited his GP who suspected swine flu but no tests were taken because Danny didn’t fall into any of the vulnerable category groups.

[DvdMom]

Thanks , & I appreciate the articles you post on this thread too . I will try & post more articles tomorrow . Thanks Again & Have A Great Night :)