Local News

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Friday, July 3, 2009 Snohomish County man dies of swine flu The man is the second person to die of the illness in Snohomish County. By Sharon Salyer Herald Writer Swine flu has killed another resident of Snohomish County, the fourth person in Washington to die of the virus. The man died on June 24, was middle-aged and had other health problems, said Suzanne Pate, a spokeswoman for the Snohomish Health District, on Thursday. No other details were available Thursday evening. The man's death is one of four in Washington and 170 nationally. In May, the death of a 39-year-old man from Snohomish County who had heart problems and viral pneumonia was attributed to swine flu. The other two deaths in Washington occurred in King and Pierce counties. So far, 98 people have been hospitalized in Washington from the virus. Ten of those people were in Snohomish County. The most recent death in Snohomish County is one more reminder that the swine flu virus continues to spread in the midst of summer, a time when flu typically has all but disappeared. "People think it's gone away," Dr. Yuan-Po Tu, who tracks influenza issues for The Everett Clinic, said Thursday. "It hasn't gone away at all." The outbreak, which has now spread to at least 100 countries worldwide, began in early April with cases in Mexico. Later that month, the first cases were reported in the United States. Since then, an estimated 1 million people have been sickened, according to federal health officials. Next week, local medical groups will meet with the Snohomish Health District to continue planning for the fall flu season, Tu said. This could include plans for immunizing people for seasonal flu viruses as well as a second type of shot for swine flu. The federal government has set aside $1 billion for development of a swine flu vaccine. Federal officials announced Thursday that they will huddle next week to begin national plans for the possibility of a more severe swine outbreak. Scientists say the virus could worsen in the fall. Local, state and federal health officials have warned that the swine flu virus could suddenly change, causing more severe illness and greater numbers of deaths. Reporter Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486 or salyer@heraldnet.com READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

1. Gay marriage issue can wait, say Referendum 71 partisans 2. Six injured, three critically, in wreck near Machias 3. Forecast for 2010 housing market: slow decline 4. First-time homebuyer credit invites tax cheats 5. That's Stud Muffin to you 6. Offensive line helps Marysville-Pilchuck rush into state playoffs 7. Glacier Peak freshman overcomes jitters to win state in cross country 8. Proud union member and veteran had a wild side 9. Snohomish County's former sanitation director claims his ouster was forced 10. More snow expected for Cascades, mountain passes 2 - Top 10 Stories Most Talked about 3 - Top 10 Stories Most Emailed

• Gough on track to keep job • Jazz vocalist headlines NPAC • Mountlake Terrace makes football history • Tax revenue sagging, city budgets lagging • ‘Touch of Magic' show opens at Gallery North • Jackson repeats as South champs • Holiday Bazaars Calendar • Meadowdale storms back to grab title • Edmonds moves to Fire District 1 • Boeing will build, flight test and deliver 787s in South Carolina to spe ... • Snohomish County EDC promoting job growth in key industry clusters • $4 million grant to advance brain tumor research has Everett links • Providence medical center construction tops off its 12-story steel frame ... • Tulalip affordable housing project to be financed by KeyBank, Raymond Ja ... • Arlington's Lak of Ink has a growing following for Luke Kooyman's creati ... • Bank of the Northwest formed • Cascade Bank earns $1.6 million