State reports fourth H1N1-related death

Dover, Del. -

Delaware’s Division of Public Health was notified Nov. 9 that a 52-year old Kent County man, admitted to the hospital Oct. 21 with H1N1 flu-related complications, died Nov. 7. The patient did have a very serious underlying health condition prior to contracting the flu.

Certain groups of people are at higher risk of complications from the H1N1 flu, including people with chronic underlying health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and those who are immunosuppressed. For most healthy people this has been a mild infection.

There have been approximately 672 flu-related deaths, seasonal and H1N1 combined, in the United States from Aug. 30 until Oct. 31 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Signs of serious flu illness in children are:

* Fast breathing or trouble breathing

* Bluish skin color

* Not drinking enough fluids

* Not waking up or interacting

* Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held

* Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

* Fever with a rash

In adults, signs of serious flu are:

* Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

* Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen

* Sudden dizziness

* Confusion

* Severe or persistent vomiting