Posted by Sedruce at 11:34pm Sep 5 '09Local boy died of swine flu (well, suspected--they'll confirm it soon).
A 10-year-old Fairbanks boy died from probable swine flu symptoms after being sent home sick from school last week, the Alaska health department announced Saturday.
The boy, who attended Hunter Elementary School, was otherwise healthy, according to Dr. Beth Funk, a medical epidemiologist with the Alaska Division of Public Health.
According to a news release, a school nurse sent the boy home about noon on Thursday. He was later admitted to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital. After he did not respond to treatment, the boy was airlifted to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.
The child was pronounced dead Friday evening. Officials are withholding the boyâs name owing to medical privacy laws and out of respect for the family, Funk said.
âOur thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the student,â Fairbanks North Star Borough schools superintendent Nancy Wagner said in a written statement. âThis is truly a tragic incident and a tragic day for one of our families.â
This is the second Alaskan believed to have succumbed to swine flu since it became a global pandemic.
âAlthough most people who get H1N1 flu have a mild illness and quick recovery, this death is a sobering reminder that it can be a serious illness,â acting Public Health Director Deborah Erickson said in a written statement.
The state has advised schools to take the following precautions related to the flu this fall:
* Students and staff should stay home if they are sick
* Separate ill students and staff until they can go home
* Encourage regular hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette
* Encourage routine cleaning of hard surfaces that are frequently touched
* Encourage early treatment of high-risk persons
A 10-year-old Fairbanks boy died from probable swine flu symptoms after being sent home sick from school last week, the Alaska health department announced Saturday.
The boy, who attended Hunter Elementary School, was otherwise healthy, according to Dr. Beth Funk, a medical epidemiologist with the Alaska Division of Public Health.
According to a news release, a school nurse sent the boy home about noon on Thursday. He was later admitted to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital. After he did not respond to treatment, the boy was airlifted to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.
The child was pronounced dead Friday evening. Officials are withholding the boyâs name owing to medical privacy laws and out of respect for the family, Funk said.
âOur thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the student,â Fairbanks North Star Borough schools superintendent Nancy Wagner said in a written statement. âThis is truly a tragic incident and a tragic day for one of our families.â
This is the second Alaskan believed to have succumbed to swine flu since it became a global pandemic.
âAlthough most people who get H1N1 flu have a mild illness and quick recovery, this death is a sobering reminder that it can be a serious illness,â acting Public Health Director Deborah Erickson said in a written statement.
The state has advised schools to take the following precautions related to the flu this fall:
* Students and staff should stay home if they are sick
* Separate ill students and staff until they can go home
* Encourage regular hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette
* Encourage routine cleaning of hard surfaces that are frequently touched
* Encourage early treatment of high-risk persons
added on 11:35pm Sep 5 '09:
Incidentally, the school the boy attended is the school my mom used to teach at--she's been elsewhere for a while though.