Updated 05/27/2009 12:23 AM
Preliminary Tests Confirm Two More H1N1-Linked Deaths
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The New York City Health Department confirmed Tuesday that two more people with the H1N1 virus have died, however it is not yet clear whether their deaths are directly linked to their virus or preexisting conditions.
According to outgoing Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden, both the 41-year-old Queens woman and the 34-year-old Brooklyn man had preexisting conditions.
Frieden says that a full autopsy of both people is necessary to determine whether the flu is directly responsible for their deaths.
Two other deaths have been confirmed to have been caused by H1N1. I.S. 238 Assistant Principal Mitchell Wiener and an unidentified Queens woman in her 50s both died in the past week.
The infant who experts had initially thought to have died from H1N1 tested negative for the virus.
Since the start of the outbreak, there have been 130 hospitalizations from H1N1. The Health Department stresses the fact that all of the cases of serious cases have been found in people with previous health conditions.
The commissioner says that anyone with a weakened immune system or a chronic illness should
take extra care during this time, especially if they have been exposed to the illness. He said those exposed to the illness should call their doctor and seek advice about getting preventative medicine.
Moreover, Frieden said that those experiencing symptoms should contact their doctor but not necessarily go to the hospital, unless the symptoms are severe enough to go to the emergency room under normal circumstances.
The health commissioner said that most of the cases of H1N1 in the city have been mild. He also stressed that the high absentee rates in many schools do not necessarily mean that many children are ill.
"We looked at two schools last week that had high absenteeism rates and we called the families. The number of kids who are sick were outnumbered by the number of kids whose parents were concerned about their kids becoming sick by three to one," said Frieden.
The update came as 25 public and private schools were reopened Tuesday, following a week of closure for sanitizing.
While announcing the decision to close Special Education School 811 at Building 822 in St. Albans, the health commissioner explained how and why schools are closed.
Meanwhile, according to the Centers for Disease Control, while H1N1 levels are decreasing in most of the country, returning to below "base line" activity, New York, New Jersey and New England continue to be above "base line" activity.
The United Federation of Teachers has set up 11 hotlines in the five boroughs to gather information on school flu outbreaks and school closings.
The Department of Education is now posting daily attendance rates for every public school in New York City. They have also created a list of frequently asked questions for parents, teachers and school administrators.
May 26, 2009
Dear Parent or Guardian:
As H1N1 (swine) flu becomes more common in New York City, many schools are reporting high absenteeism rates and more students with flu-like illness.
H1N1 is a lot like regular (seasonal) flu. Most people who get it have only a mild illness, and most get better on their own without medicine. But some people are more likely to get seriously ill if they come down with the flu. Those at high risk of complications include children under 2, adults over 65, pregnant women, and people with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes or asthma. Flu also poses special dangers for people with heart, liver, kidney or blood disorders, and for people with neurological problems that can interfere with breathing.
If we see evidence that flu is spreading rapidly in a school, we may temporarily close it to reduce the risk to vulnerable people. If a school’s medical office reports an increase in the number of students developing fever with cough or sore throat, the Health Department monitors the school closely from day to day to see if the problem continues. We pay special attention to a school if the number of children sent home with fevers on a given day reaches 1% to 2% of the student body. In deciding whether to close a school, we also weigh special circumstances, such as the presence of children with special needs.
You and your family can help reduce the spread of flu in our schools by following some simple guidelines.
Watch your child closely for signs of flu-like illness. Any child with fever and a cough or sore throat should stay home until he or she has been completely well for 24 hours.
Remember to cover coughs and sneezes and wash hands frequently with soap and water.
If a child with asthma or another chronic condition develops flu-like illness, call your doctor right away to discuss the need for medication.
Unless your child is severely ill, please do not seek care at a hospital. There is no need to go to an emergency department, and no benefit for the child.
The attached fact sheet has important information for parents. It explains how you can protect against the flu, what to do if your child has flu-like symptoms, when to call a doctor, when to take your child to the hospital, and how the City decides whether to close a school. It also offers tips and resources for coping with the stress of caused by this situation. For more information, you can always visit www.nyc.gov/health or www.nyc.gov/schools.
Sincerely,
Joel I. Klein and Thomas R. Frieden