Fairbanks woman dies from swine flu in October

Rosemary Shinohara

Nov. 5, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- A sixth Alaskan, a woman from Fairbanks, has died from swine flu, state Department of Health and Social Services officials said.

The woman died on Oct. 27, said Greg Wilkinson, spokesman for the Health Department.

In September the state quit issuing notices when someone dies of the H1N1 influenza, so her death was noted only on a weekly chart of deaths and hospitalizations compiled by the state this week.

The woman was middle-aged and had multiple existing health conditions that contributed to her death, said Wilkinson.

There were signs of swine flu trouble elsewhere in Alaska, too, this week.

diomede medical flight

In western Alaska, the Alaska Army National Guard flew two Diomede residents with severe swine flu symptoms to a Nome hospital Wednesday. Diomede is a remote island of about 130 people.

The state also sent a four-person medical team, including a doctor, to Diomede on Thursday to treat an increasing number of people with flu-like symptoms.

State epidemiologist Dr. Joe McLaughlin said in a news release that the village of has been hard-hit. He noted that it does not have a village-wide water or sewer system.

The problem on Diomede is compounded by the fact that there has been no passenger service to the island for the past four months, making it harder for people to get medical care.

The state Health Department sent 130 doses of swine flu vaccine and also some antiviral medicine used to treat the disease to Diomede.

The Alaska Army National Guard stands ready to respond to emergencies on the island while commercial passenger service is unavailable, the health department said.

KODIAK SCHOOL ABSENCES

In Kodiak, absenteeism is surging in the Kodiak Island Borough School District, the Kodiak Daily Mirror reported Wednesday. The newspaper quoted Steve Doerksen, director of schools, as saying 18 to 20 percent of students are absent from most schools, and at Kodiak Middle School, the worst case, 37 percent of students are not attending. Doerksen said the students may not all have H1N1, but some are being kept home as a precaution.

Four of the six Alaskans who have died from swine flu have been Fairbanks women. All of them had pre-existing medical conditions.

The first was in her 40s and died while visiting family in Washington state July 16.

Two more Fairbanks women died Sept. 24.

The other two Alaskans to die were a Seward woman in her 50s, who died Aug. 28, and a 10-year-old Fairbanks boy who died Sept. 4.

Find Rosemary Shinohara online at adn.com/contact/rshinohara or call her at 257-4340.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0009-39503338