6-year-old Corcoran boy dies from H1N1 flu

Jeremy Olson

Oct. 5, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- A 6-year-old boy from Corcoran, Minn., is the seventh Minnesotan to die from H1N1-related complications, and one of only two who had no underlying health problems to contribute to his death.

Nathanael Schilling died Sept. 24 of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart that can result from influenza and other viral infections, according to a statement from the Hennepin County Medical Examiner. Schilling, a first-grader at St. John's Lutheran School, died in an ambulance outside his family's home, according to the statement.

Health officials said the boy's death is a reminder of the dangers of this new H1N1 strain of influenza, which emerged in the spring and has caused 327 people in the state to be hospitalized. Three of the deaths and 138 of the hospitalizations have involved children younger than nine.

"Deaths in children are especially saddening. Our hearts go out to the family," said Dr. Sanne Magnan, Minnesota Commissioner of Health. "For most people, the H1N1 flu is not severe; however, we know that children are especially vulnerable to this new virus."

While a vaccine against this new H1N1 strain of influenza will be available this fall and winter, state health officials are urging people to slow the spread of the virus. Precautions include washing hands, covering coughs and staying home from school or work with flu symptoms and fevers of 100 degrees or higher.

Calls to the Schilling home weren't returned. The St. John's principal, Gary

Volberding, said the church and school communities have been supporting the family through prayers and hugs and meals. They also have been helping Nathaneal's siblings "put some kind of normalcy back into their lives" at school, he said.

The school has been taking typical precautions to prevent the spread of H1N1, and only had one student missing with flu-like symptoms on Monday, the principal said.

"We've been doing a lot of hand-washing lately, let me tell you," he said.

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