Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Search
Blogs
HiLife Online 
Most Read
- Husband and wife team will no longer anchor at KITV
- Sprinkle leaving KITV; wife Young clearing plate
- Friends and associates join search for missing kayaker
- Man missing since Monday is found in Kakaako
- Craigslist rental ads attracting the crooks
- Legislators cancel party plans
- Jamora ready for Govs
- Teachers willing to return for restored furlough days
- Saint Louis Heights home a total loss, fire official says
- Desserts offer options to usual pumpkin pie
- Wahine advance to WAC final
Oahu woman confirmed as Hawaii's first swine flu fatality
Another Oahu resident is hospitalized and Molokai firefighters suffer an outbreak
By Star-Bulletin staff
POSTED: 04:56 p.m. HST, Jun 29, 2009
An Oahu woman in her late 60s is Hawaii’s first fatality linked to swine flu, state health officials confirmed today.
The woman died on June 19 at Tripler Army Medical Center, Department of Health officials said.
The H1N1 influenza infection, or swine flu, “likely contributed to underlying medical conditions that caused the death,” health officials said in a news release.
No other details on the case were released because of patient privacy rules, the department said.
Besides the death announced today, another “adult resident is hospitalized on Oahu,” with the H1N1 flu, department officials said. The Oahu resident who has underlying health conditions developed pneumonia as a complication of their flu infection, they said. The person is responding to treatment and recovering in the hospital.
“These two new severe cases of novel H1N1 are a sad reminder of the seriousness of influenza, particularly for those at risk for complications,” said Dr. Sarah Park, chief of the department’s Disease Outbreak Control Division. “Unfortunately, we knew this would happen eventually, as we have flu-related deaths and hospitalizations every year from regular seasonal flu.”
The department also said it confirmed “an outbreak of novel H1N1 among firefighters on Molokai with reportedly 20 workers or over half of the staff becoming ill.”
The department is sending public health staff to Molokai tomorrow to conduct education and outreach efforts.
“The situation on Molokai shows how influenza can affect basic central services and cripple limited resources,” said Park. “It is so important that we all continue to consider and plan for the impact a flu pandemic can have on our workplaces, schools, and communities.”
The department has confirmed 545 cases of swine flu since May 5. Of these cases, all but three have recovered or are recovering at home with no complications, officials said. The third hospitalization due to swine flu was a Maui resident who became ill and was hospitalized in Washington state, but recovered before returning home.
The virus already has caused at least 27,000 illnesses and 127 deaths in this country, according to the Associated Press.
State health officials remind the public to take precautions to prevent spreading the flu, including:
>> Stay at home when you are sick; isolate yourself from others whenever possible;
>> Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and dispose of used tissues;
>> Wash your hands frequently, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer;
>> Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth;
>> Seek care if you have influenza-like illness; and
>> Stay healthy by eating a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water and getting plenty of rest and exercise.
An Oahu woman in her late 60s is Hawaii’s first fatality linked to swine flu, state health officials confirmed today.
The woman died on June 19 at Tripler Army Medical Center, Department of Health officials said.
The H1N1 influenza infection, or swine flu, “likely contributed to underlying medical conditions that caused the death,” health officials said in a news release.
No other details on the case were released because of patient privacy rules, the department said.
Besides the death announced today, another “adult resident is hospitalized on Oahu,” with the H1N1 flu, department officials said. The Oahu resident who has underlying health conditions developed pneumonia as a complication of their flu infection, they said. The person is responding to treatment and recovering in the hospital.
“These two new severe cases of novel H1N1 are a sad reminder of the seriousness of influenza, particularly for those at risk for complications,” said Dr. Sarah Park, chief of the department’s Disease Outbreak Control Division. “Unfortunately, we knew this would happen eventually, as we have flu-related deaths and hospitalizations every year from regular seasonal flu.”
The department also said it confirmed “an outbreak of novel H1N1 among firefighters on Molokai with reportedly 20 workers or over half of the staff becoming ill.”
The department is sending public health staff to Molokai tomorrow to conduct education and outreach efforts.
“The situation on Molokai shows how influenza can affect basic central services and cripple limited resources,” said Park. “It is so important that we all continue to consider and plan for the impact a flu pandemic can have on our workplaces, schools, and communities.”
The department has confirmed 545 cases of swine flu since May 5. Of these cases, all but three have recovered or are recovering at home with no complications, officials said. The third hospitalization due to swine flu was a Maui resident who became ill and was hospitalized in Washington state, but recovered before returning home.
The virus already has caused at least 27,000 illnesses and 127 deaths in this country, according to the Associated Press.
State health officials remind the public to take precautions to prevent spreading the flu, including:
>> Stay at home when you are sick; isolate yourself from others whenever possible;
>> Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and dispose of used tissues;
>> Wash your hands frequently, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer;
>> Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth;
>> Seek care if you have influenza-like illness; and
>> Stay healthy by eating a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water and getting plenty of rest and exercise.
Today’s Edition
- Friends and associates join search for missing kayaker
- Legislators cancel party plans
- Teachers willing to return for restored furlough days
- Harbor officials eye fee increase
- Mammograms: Do I really need this?
- Thanksgiving Day events serve food to those in need
- Kokua Line: Insurance verification uses Social Security info
- Newswatch
- Police and Fire
- Australia's move on credit card fees may have lessons for U.S.
- At Iraqi museum, Google chief announces plan to put artifacts online
- Kona holiday fundraiser helps culinary students
- By Request: Help others and collect the year's best recipes
- The Electric Kitchen: Desserts offer options to usual pumpkin pie
- Pet Ohana
- Da Kine
- Got nutrients?
- Wahine advance to WAC final
- Medeiros catches on at slot
- Prep World: Jamora ready for Govs
- Prep World: Athletes of the Week
- Prep briefs
- Say and Look have Aiea and 'Iolani talking, watching wins
- Cincinnati rolls through Maryland at Maui Invitational
- Couples will play in Hawaii
- Local aces
- Hawaii Beat
- Scoreboard
- TV & Radio
insideStarBulletin.com
