Pennsylvania's First Swine Flu Death Recorded in Berks

June 5, 2009

Tonight we can report that a Berks County woman is Pennsylvania's first death

related to the swine flu. Officials with the Department of Health say the woman

died late this afternoon. WFMZ's Fullerton reports.

REPORTER: Rob and , I just spoke with the Acting Physician General for the

Pennsylvania Department of Health. He tells me that the victim is a 55-year-old

woman, but did not know what part of the county she was from. But I'm told there

were other factors that made this case of H1N1 fatal.

>> OSTROFF: Like has been the case with many of the other fatal cases of this

new influenza virus she also had underlying health conditions which would put

her at higher risk of having complications from the flu.

>> REPORTER: The Berks County Coroner says the woman died at Reading Hospital.

The Department of Health announced her death early this evening. And the state

Secretary of Health released a statement saying the death is a sad reminder of

the complications that can result from the H1N1 virus. He goes onto say they

continue to monitor this outbreak and are taking every possible step to minimize

the impact of the virus in Pennsylvania. Still, Pennsylvania's acting Phsyican

General, Dr. Ostroff says health officials were anticipating a drop off

in H1N1 cases as summer set in and that's not happening.

>> OSTROFF: The amount of illness that we're seeing in Pennsylvania is greater

than at any time since this new influenza was recongnized so it seems to be on

the upswing in the state rather than in the other direction.

>> REPORTER: Ostroff says the majority of cases are popping up in people between

the ages of five and 25 which is out of the norm of the seasonal flu. He's

hoping as school ends the numbers will decrease. As for why Berks is seeing so

many cases...for that there is no definitive answer.

>> OSTROFF: It to a certain degree is luck of the draw. It could have been

virtually any place else in the state.

>>REPORTER: Now that there has been a death due to H1N1, I asked Dr. Ostroff if

there would be any change in procedures here in Berks. He says no, the Health

Department will be just as active in monitoring cases here. And Rob and ,

all those same rules apply, washing your hands, see a doctor if you have

flu-like symptoms and then stay home from work or school.

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