Woman deceased with swine flu infection

Göttingen: Patient with swine flu infection died

13/01/2011

The 75-year-old woman from Göttingen, who died on Tuesday, was found to have H1N1 pathogens. Whether the swine flu is the cause of death in question, but so far still unclear, said a spokesman for the Protestant Hospital Göttingen-Weende.

Although it was clearly detected in the 75-year-old swine flu infection, but which „Role of H1N1 infection in connection with her death“ has to be attributed remains unclear, said the spokesman of the Protestant hospital. In contrast to the depictions of the city of Göttingen on Wednesday, the deceased suffered very well from previous illnesses, the hospital spokesman continued. According to the hospital, the woman was already diagnosed with vascular and diabetic diabetes before her admission (diabetes) and therefore had to be classified as a high-risk patient.

Cause of death: Blood poisoning from severe bacterial pneumonia
After the elderly woman was admitted to the hospital emergency room on Monday with acute respiratory distress, a severe bacterial pneumonia was detected during the subsequent treatment in the intensive care unit in addition to the swine flu virus. This ultimately led to severe blood poisoning with circulatory failure, as a result of which the patient died, the statement of the Protestant Hospital on Thursday.

Third death after swine flu in Göttingen
With the death of the 75-year-old woman, the number of deaths associated with H1N1 infection has increased again. Alone in the area of ​​Göttingen, this is the third death in which a swine flu infection was found. Although the connection between the H1N1 infection and the death of those affected has not yet been conclusively clarified, clinics, doctors and health authorities are alarmed. A three-year-old girl and a 51-year-old man with pre-existing conditions had already died at the end of December and the beginning of January in Göttingen as a result of a swine flu disease.

Number of swine flu deaths continues to rise
Overall, the number of deaths from swine flu in Germany has risen steadily in recent days. Recently, another death was reported from North Rhine-Westphalia, which was related to a H1N1 infection. Experts predict that the number of swine flu cases and reported deaths will continue to increase significantly until the expected peak of the seasonal flu epidemic in early February. „We expect the peak for February“, said Wolfram Hartmann, President of the Association of Pediatricians (BVKJ). However, it is not yet clear how the spread of swine flu will develop in the course of the seasonal influenza epidemic, explained Hartmann, but he also believes that it could „come to an extreme explosion“. (Fp)

Read about swine flu:
Immune to flu after swine flu infection?
Influenza: Risk groups should be vaccinated
Swine flu is transmitted by children
Swine flu: number of new infections is increasing
Swine flu is back: RKI recommends vaccination
Swine flu is no reason to panic

Picture: Gerd Altmann