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Fifth swine flu death in Illinois; virus spreading rapidly in Australia
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The cruise ship The Pacific Dawn arrives in Sydney, Monday, June 1, 2009, with nearly 2,000 passengers after cruising Australia's east coast. The Pacific Dawn arrived in Sydney a week ago with scores of swine flu cases that were confirmed only after passengers had been allowed to disembark. Three crew members aboard the ship tested positive for the virus last Thursday. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
The Lake County Health Department has confirmed the death of a 74-year-old man from Gurnee from complications related to swine flu. The unidentified man is the fifth person in the Chicago area to die from contracting the H1N1 virus.
The health department reported that the man had “other significant medical conditions that increased his vulnerability to the virus.” He died Tuesday at an undisclosed hospital.
“We sincerely extend our sympathies to this individual’s family,” said Lake County Health Department Executive Director Irene Pierce. “While most cases of this illness are mild, pregnant women and individuals with chronic medical conditions – such as heart disease, lung disease, asthma, or diabetes – should contact a health professional about treatment if they think they have the flu.”
The health department notes that symptoms of swine flu include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. Diarrhea and vomiting also have been reported by some people.
There have been 136 confirmed cases of swine flu in Lake County, according to the Illinois Department of Health. County health officials say there probably also are many unreported cases. The county has set up an H1N1 hotline (847-377-8350) for residents to obtain more information on swine flu.
Statewide, 1,351 swine flu cases have been confirmed. The vast majority of cases (932) have been reported in Chicago and Cook County. DuPage and Will counties each have 76 confirmed cases.
Nationally, 13,217 cases of swine flu have been confirmed, including 27 deaths. That represents an increase of 10 deaths in the past 48 hours. Eight people in New York have died from the virus.
With 2,217 confirmed cases, Wisconsin continues to lead the nation in this undesirable category. Texas follows with 1,670 cases, including three deaths, and Illinois ranks third.
The World Health Organization has confirmed 21,940 swine flu cases across the globe. The U.S., Mexico, and Canada continue to report the most cases, but Australia is rapidly moving up the list.
The WHO reports 375 new swine flu cases in Australia in the past 48 hours, bringing the nation’s total to 876. It is now late fall in the Southern Hemisphere, meaning the flu season is getting into full swing there.
The Australian newspaper reports that additional swine flu cases have been confirmed by health officials in that country, bringing the nation’s total to 1,006. Of those, 874 were reported in the state of Victoria, prompting the newspaper to declare the city of Melbourne “the swine-flu capital of the world.” It says the prevalence of swine flu in the state’s population is twice that of Mexico, where the virus originated.
The government of Singapore has advised travelers to avoid Melbourne.
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