Laclede County teen dies of possible swine flu - MO
News-Leader staff • October 15, 2009
A Laclede County teen with a potential case of H1N1 influenza died Thursday at a Springfield hospital, according to the state health department.
The girl, whose age was not released, tested positive for a rapid test of influenza A, which usually turn out to be cases of swine flu, according to Kit Wagar, spokesman with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
State health officials learned Thursday the girl began to have flu-like symptoms on Tuesday, checked into a Laclede County emergency room in Wednesday before being transported to an undisclosed Springfield hospital, where she died sometime Thursday, Wagar said.
Wagar said the girl was between the ages of 13 and 17. Federal laws prevent state officials from identifying the hospital, doctor or patients’ names or the patient’s age, Wagar said.
Wagar said state health officials were informed by local sources that the girl may have had other, underlying health problems.
“That is another reason we hold off and say we need to figure out if it was a flu death,” Wagar said.
Wagar said if it turns out the girl had H1N1 flu, a pediatric flu investigation will be conducted and a report will be sent to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“It’s very unusual” to have a flu investigation conducted, Wagar said.
Charla Baker, the administrator of the LaClede County Health Department, said her office was notified of the death around 1:30 p.m. Thursday. Her office hopes to receive a written medical report Friday morning, she said.
VA:
State begins swine flu vaccination campaign
By Elizabeth Simpson
The Virginian-Pilot
October 15, 2009
RICHMOND
http://hamptonroads.com/2009/10/state-begins-swine-flu-vaccination-campaign
The state kicked off a media campaign Thursday for the H1N1, or swine flu, vaccine, by giving it to people in priority groups.
The campaign will include public service TV and radio spots, advertising on transit systems, the Internet and at movie theaters. The campaign has the theme “H1N1Get1. It’s up to you to fight the flu.”
State Health Commissioner Karen Remley was among those vaccinated Thursday. The commissioner has asthma, which puts her in a priority group that also includes pregnant women, children 6 months and older, young adults through age 24, people with underlying health problems, parents and caregivers of people with the above-mentioned health conditions and those with children 6 months and younger.
Health care workers and emergency medical service providers also are given priority for the vaccine, and they started receiving the vaccine last week.
Remley received her vaccine at an event at Virginia Commonwealth University’s medical campus, according to a release from the Virginia Department of Health.
A special Web site, www.H1N1Get1.com, also has been set up to provide information about the virus and the places where vaccinations are available throughout Virginia.
Information also is available by calling 1 (877) 275-8343. Not all of the places listed on the Web site have received the swine flu vaccine yet, so people in priority groups should check with the health-care provider first.