Delaware’s Division of Public Health has learned of another H1N1-related death, this time in an 80-year-old Sussex County woman. She passed away Saturday, Oct. 24, in a Delaware hospital. Because she doesn't fit the typical age profile, additional H1N1 investigation was conducted to confirm her status.

While people 65 years and older are much less likely to become ill with novel H1N1 flu, when people in this age group get the infection, especially those who are immunocompromised, their risk of poorer outcomes is increased. This is not surprising given that people 65 and older are generally considered at higher risk of serious flu-related complications, including those requiring hospitalization, from seasonal flu illness.

Certain groups of people are at higher risk of complications from the H1N1 flu, including people with chronic underlying health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and those who are immunosuppressed. For most healthy people this has been a mild infection.

Precautions to help stop the spread of flu include:

• Get vaccinated against both H1N1 and seasonal flu.
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Cover your cough/sneeze with a tissue, or cough/sneeze into your inner elbow and not into your hands.
• If you are sick, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever goes away. This means no fever for at least 24 hours after you have stopped taking any fever-reducing medication.

Employers are encouraged to be flexible with their employees on the issue of staying home when ill.
 
Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency and protecting vulnerable populations.