2nd N.L. swine flu death
Health officials seeing moderate to severe H1N1
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 4, 2009 | 6:15 PM NT
CBC News
Health authorities are reporting a second H1N1-related death in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Both deaths happened in central Newfoundland.
Officials with the Central Regional Health Authority said a 40-year-old man died Wednesday morning from complications from an H1N1 influenza infection.
Health officials said the man had multiple underlying medical conditions and was in an intensive care unit on a ventilator for several days before he died.
The CEO of Central Health, Karen McGrath, offered condolences to the family and friends of the man. McGrath said "it's very upsetting to find ourselves in this situation again so soon."
She said the death highlights the seriousness of what health officials are dealing with.
"The reality is," she told CBC News, "we are in pandemic situation. We're in the second wave of a pandemic. We are seeing moderate to severe disease. That means that, unfortunately, we will have the tragedies … "
McGrath said the health authority will not release further information about the patient.
The province's first H1N1-related death was reported four days ago.
Lori Savoury, a 36-year-old mother of two young boys, of Middle Arm, on the Baie Verte Peninsula, died in hospital Saturday, Oct. 31.
Health authority officials in central Newfoundland said Savoury had an underlying medical condition, in addition to swine flu, and had been in an intensive care unit for several days before she died.
