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http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonto ... flu-death-h1n1.html% N+ k% H U' q
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A young woman with no pre-existing health issues has been confirmed as Calgary's first death linked to the H1N1 flu.9 K3 d: S) Z: V
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The victim, who was not named, had been sick for about two weeks before she was admitted to a Calgary hospital on June 29, said Dr. Richard Musto, medical officer of health for Calgary and area, on Thursday., k9 Q4 w3 a$ v* g( y
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Tests confirmed she had swine flu on June 30, and she died Wednesday night, he said.6 ~7 P: J+ _: J* n
' c/ p, r+ l0 `) n8 t" |5 U$ [2 P- f"That's our assumption, that swine flu was a major contribution to her death," Musto told reporters.
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"We're not exactly sure where she contracted it, but there's no travel history that's relevant."
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Musto did not name the hospital to which the woman was admitted but said that regular procedures were followed to "effectively protect other patients and staff."
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The death is the third in Alberta that's been linked to swine flu. Two women with pre-existing medical conditions — one in the Edmonton area and one in northern Alberta — were the other cases.
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3 Q2 B# V0 C" |+ y) mAlberta has registered more than 1,100 cases of swine flu since the influenza outbreak began in Mexico in March.
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( U2 r# g2 Z) J0 f+ ?9 d9 ]"This is a global epidemic; most people will only have mild illness," he said.; T2 G- \; F8 n- Z6 }6 k
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The majority of people who contract the virus — which comes with flu-like symptoms including fever, lethargy and coughing — recover, said Musto.
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"Generally, the complication that occurs is pneumonia and respiratory failure," he said.
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Not connected to children's hospital cases! d6 i- Q: S$ p
+ R; g! x, X2 {' A) o" }Officials said the death is not connected to an outbreak this week at the Alberta Children's Hospital, when two patients and a staff member were diagnosed with the H1N1 flu. A unit on the hospital's third floor was isolated to prevent the flu's spread.
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- K4 y# Z- H+ ?+ xThe patients were isolated in their private rooms on the weekend when they became symptomatic, and the staff member stayed at home upon becoming ill, said Musto.
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9 x, M4 ~: K4 H' X) ZTed Woynillowicz of Friends of Medicare in Calgary questioned why officials publicized the children's hospital while the facility where the woman was treated was not named.
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) N* i& W; v5 c) M: t* R"I think there's kind of a lack of consistency. And I think it should be publicized if it affects the public in some way," he said.# W' Q9 J! c- {: ]
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Every year 4,000 Canadians die from the flu and a high percentage of them have underlying conditions that play a large part in making them susceptible to serious consequences when they get the flu, he said. |
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