Post by title1parent on Oct 20, 2009 5:23:02 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/1833712,student-dies-H1N1_AU101909.article
Talk of teen death, virus sweeps closely-knit town
October 20, 2009
By Paul Dailing and Rowena Vergara pdailing@scn1.com rvergara@scn1.com
SANDWICH -- A Sandwich High School student who died Sunday had a confirmed case of the H1N1 virus, the DeKalb County Health Department announced Monday.
The boy, who died at a suburban hospital outside of the county, is the first DeKalb County resident to die with an infection of the 2009 H1N1 strain, the department said. No one in an official capacity has said the H1N1 virus was the cause of the teen's death.
The family of the victim could not be reached to confirm the boy's identity.
The Health Department also did not identify the victim, and neither did the Sandwich School District, although letters were sent home to all students in the district about a student's death related to the H1N1 virus. The district also sent out automated phone messages to students' families.
The teen attended Sandwich High last school year, but had not attended classes yet this year due to illness, the Health Department said. Sandwich schools started Aug. 21.
The Health Department is investigating whether the teen had any underlying medical condition that contributed to his death.
"This individual had been hospitalized so (he) really did not have contact with the public," said Karen Grush, the department's public health administrator.
On Monday, friends, classmates and parents in the tightly-knit community were reeling over the death of a funny, outspoken and popular teen.
Jaclyn Ciontea, who was good friends with the teen, said his death was unexpected.
"Last I knew he was doing very well," said the 17-year-old senior. "He hung out with a lot of people. He had a ton of friends."
Although he did not play sports, friends say he was an exceptional skateboarder.
Ciontea said she found out about his death on Sunday morning via text message from her brother, who is in the same grade as the teen.
Another friend, Mitch Galles, 16, of Sandwich, also said he found out about his friend's death through text messages swirling throughout the high school community.
Then at Sandwich High School at the close of classes Monday, teachers distributed pamphlets from the Centers for Disease Control, and letters to share with their families.
According to Ciontea, her teacher said, "You are most likely aware by now, but one of our students has passed."
The note sent home read in part: "At this very sad time, the District extends sympathy to the family. Please know the District will be providing grief counseling to those in need."
Another peer, Matthew Daly, 16, said, "Everyone was really down (at school). A couple people were crying."
Daly said he met the teen three years ago through a youth group at Harvest Chapel in Sandwich.
The Sandwich teen's death comes less than two weeks after Naperville North High School freshman Michelle Fahle, 14, died after contracting H1N1. A DuPage County coroner's office autopsy later showed a serious and undiagnosed heart condition had contributed to Fahle's death.
In Illinois, there have been 20 deaths attributed to H1N1 influenza in 2009, with six deaths under the age of 24 reported.
Unlike most flu strains, the 2009 H1N1 is more dangerous in people under 25, with relatively fewer cases and deaths in people over 65, the CDC reports. Their studies indicate no children and very few adults under 60 have existing antibodies to the 2009 H1N1 strain.
About one-third of adults older than 60 might have antibodies against this strain.
In addition, it's a heavy flu season for all strains, not just H1N1.
"Symptoms have heightened over the weekend. It's just busy with people with flu symptoms," said Allison Bryan, spokesman for Valley West Community Hospital, where the DeKalb County teenager had been a patient before being transferred.
Health experts recommend that people wash hands carefully, cover coughs and sneezes and stay home if they are sick to fight the spread of the new H1N1.
As of last week, the CDC had shipped 114,000 dosages of vaccines for the H1N1 strain to Illinois. But availability is spotty. The DeKalb County Health Department plans to offer vaccinations at no charge to members of the targeted groups once the vaccine is available.
One of those targeted groups -- people between the ages of 6 months and 24 years -- would have included the Sandwich High student.
Matthew Daly's mother, Amy Daly, said she grown very concerned about H1N1 going around Sandwich.
When Matthew and her daughter McKenna were sick with the flu at two separate times, she kept them both home and out of the classroom. Matthew, she said, had a fever of 104 degrees for five days.
"I can't imagine what (the family) is going through," Daly said. "Actually, you can imagine how it would be, because having a kid the same age makes it all the more real."
Staff writer Matt Hanley contributed to this report.
Talk of teen death, virus sweeps closely-knit town
October 20, 2009
By Paul Dailing and Rowena Vergara pdailing@scn1.com rvergara@scn1.com
SANDWICH -- A Sandwich High School student who died Sunday had a confirmed case of the H1N1 virus, the DeKalb County Health Department announced Monday.
The boy, who died at a suburban hospital outside of the county, is the first DeKalb County resident to die with an infection of the 2009 H1N1 strain, the department said. No one in an official capacity has said the H1N1 virus was the cause of the teen's death.
The family of the victim could not be reached to confirm the boy's identity.
The Health Department also did not identify the victim, and neither did the Sandwich School District, although letters were sent home to all students in the district about a student's death related to the H1N1 virus. The district also sent out automated phone messages to students' families.
The teen attended Sandwich High last school year, but had not attended classes yet this year due to illness, the Health Department said. Sandwich schools started Aug. 21.
The Health Department is investigating whether the teen had any underlying medical condition that contributed to his death.
"This individual had been hospitalized so (he) really did not have contact with the public," said Karen Grush, the department's public health administrator.
On Monday, friends, classmates and parents in the tightly-knit community were reeling over the death of a funny, outspoken and popular teen.
Jaclyn Ciontea, who was good friends with the teen, said his death was unexpected.
"Last I knew he was doing very well," said the 17-year-old senior. "He hung out with a lot of people. He had a ton of friends."
Although he did not play sports, friends say he was an exceptional skateboarder.
Ciontea said she found out about his death on Sunday morning via text message from her brother, who is in the same grade as the teen.
Another friend, Mitch Galles, 16, of Sandwich, also said he found out about his friend's death through text messages swirling throughout the high school community.
Then at Sandwich High School at the close of classes Monday, teachers distributed pamphlets from the Centers for Disease Control, and letters to share with their families.
According to Ciontea, her teacher said, "You are most likely aware by now, but one of our students has passed."
The note sent home read in part: "At this very sad time, the District extends sympathy to the family. Please know the District will be providing grief counseling to those in need."
Another peer, Matthew Daly, 16, said, "Everyone was really down (at school). A couple people were crying."
Daly said he met the teen three years ago through a youth group at Harvest Chapel in Sandwich.
The Sandwich teen's death comes less than two weeks after Naperville North High School freshman Michelle Fahle, 14, died after contracting H1N1. A DuPage County coroner's office autopsy later showed a serious and undiagnosed heart condition had contributed to Fahle's death.
In Illinois, there have been 20 deaths attributed to H1N1 influenza in 2009, with six deaths under the age of 24 reported.
Unlike most flu strains, the 2009 H1N1 is more dangerous in people under 25, with relatively fewer cases and deaths in people over 65, the CDC reports. Their studies indicate no children and very few adults under 60 have existing antibodies to the 2009 H1N1 strain.
About one-third of adults older than 60 might have antibodies against this strain.
In addition, it's a heavy flu season for all strains, not just H1N1.
"Symptoms have heightened over the weekend. It's just busy with people with flu symptoms," said Allison Bryan, spokesman for Valley West Community Hospital, where the DeKalb County teenager had been a patient before being transferred.
Health experts recommend that people wash hands carefully, cover coughs and sneezes and stay home if they are sick to fight the spread of the new H1N1.
As of last week, the CDC had shipped 114,000 dosages of vaccines for the H1N1 strain to Illinois. But availability is spotty. The DeKalb County Health Department plans to offer vaccinations at no charge to members of the targeted groups once the vaccine is available.
One of those targeted groups -- people between the ages of 6 months and 24 years -- would have included the Sandwich High student.
Matthew Daly's mother, Amy Daly, said she grown very concerned about H1N1 going around Sandwich.
When Matthew and her daughter McKenna were sick with the flu at two separate times, she kept them both home and out of the classroom. Matthew, she said, had a fever of 104 degrees for five days.
"I can't imagine what (the family) is going through," Daly said. "Actually, you can imagine how it would be, because having a kid the same age makes it all the more real."
Staff writer Matt Hanley contributed to this report.