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Officials with Delaware's Division of Public Health (DPH) say a 60-year-old New Castle County man became Delaware’s fifth H1N1-related death Monday. He was hospitalized Oct. 26, and had several underlying health conditions.
"Our thoughts go out to his family and friends,” said Dr. Karyl Rattay, DPH Director. "We need to remember that while most cases of the flu are mild, people with pre-existing medical conditions often have a harder time fighting the virus."
People with chronic underlying health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and those who are immunosuppressed are at higher risk of complications from the H1N1 flu.
There have been approximately 877 laboratory-confirmed flu-related deaths in the United States, seasonal and H1N1 combined, reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from Aug. 30 through Nov. 7, though the CDC stated last week the number of deaths is higher when estimating those not confirmed in labs.
Dr. Rattay urges those experiencing flu-like symptoms to monitor the severity of their illness.
Signs of serious flu illness in children are:
- Fast breathing or trouble breathing
- Bluish skin color
- Not drinking enough fluids
- Not waking up or interacting
- Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
- Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
- Fever with a rash
- In adults, signs of serious flu are:
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
- Sudden dizziness
- Confusion
- Severe or persistent vomiting
Officials with Delaware's Division of Public Health (DPH) say a 60-year-old New Castle County man became Delaware’s fifth H1N1-related death Monday. He was hospitalized Oct. 26, and had several underlying health conditions.
"Our thoughts go out to his family and friends,” said Dr. Karyl Rattay, DPH Director. "We need to remember that while most cases of the flu are mild, people with pre-existing medical conditions often have a harder time fighting the virus."
People with chronic underlying health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and those who are immunosuppressed are at higher risk of complications from the H1N1 flu.
There have been approximately 877 laboratory-confirmed flu-related deaths in the United States, seasonal and H1N1 combined, reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from Aug. 30 through Nov. 7, though the CDC stated last week the number of deaths is higher when estimating those not confirmed in labs.
Dr. Rattay urges those experiencing flu-like symptoms to monitor the severity of their illness.
Signs of serious flu illness in children are:
- Fast breathing or trouble breathing
- Bluish skin color
- Not drinking enough fluids
- Not waking up or interacting
- Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
- Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
- Fever with a rash
- In adults, signs of serious flu are:
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
- Sudden dizziness
- Confusion
- Severe or persistent vomiting
