Note: There are now several updates to this story (here & here), and future updates can be found by searching HERE.
# 6199
Occasionally we see strange reports of illness that sound ominous or unusual crossing the news wires, but most of the time the causative agent turns out to be something fairly mundane.
`Mystery Fevers’ in Asia usually end up due to some kind of arbovirus, and mass illnesses in schools or cruise ships usually turn out to be norovirus.
But of course, every once in awhile, something unique will turn up, as did the novel H1N1 virus in Mexico three years ago
Today, we’ve multiple (and conflicting) reports coming out of Calvert County Maryland on a family where either 4 or 5 members contracted some sort of respiratory illness, and (depending on the source) subsequently 2, 3, or 4 of them have died.
We’ve a couple of news reports, a brief press release from the Calvert County Health Department, and a brief phone call by Sharon Sanders of FluTrackers to the CCHD trying to get details.
First, the press release, which suggests four illnesses and 2 deaths.
PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CALVERT COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
DAVID L. ROGERS, MD MPH HEALTH OFFICER
CONTACT INFORMATION: 410-535-5400
March 6, 2012
This is a case of an elderly woman living in a rural setting in the Lusby area. She became sick on or about February 23, 2012, with upper respiratory symptoms, at her home. She was cared for at home by three of her children, a son and two daughters. They developed similar upper respiratory symptoms on or about February 28, 2012.
They were all hospitalized and became critically ill and two have subsequently died. One caregiver is currently at the Washington Hospital Center. This appears to be confined to a single family and there is no reason to believe, at this time, that others have been infected with this illness.
Sharon Sanders of FluTrackers placed a call to the CCHD (who are being swamped by inquiries), and talked to someone who stated the index case (the mother) also died, making 3 deaths. You can follow their tracking of this story on this thread.
Two news reports say there were five people stricken by this illness, and four died. You can view those reports at the following links.
Health Alert: Four Deaths Reported in Calvert County
March 6, 2012
Calvert County Health Department (CCHD) is aware of a cluster of severe respiratory illnesses in five (Lusby area), including four members of a Calvert County family, residing approximately a mile south of the power plant. All five were hospitalized over the last two weeks. Four of the five have died of their illnesses.
The first story we saw (h/t Carol@SC on the Flu Wiki) came from the local NBC TV affiliate. It too cites 5 illnesses and 4 fatalities.
Cluster of Deaths Following Flu-Like Symptoms in Calvert County
Cause of illness not immediately determined
Tuesday, Mar 6, 2012 | Updated 11:29 AM EST
Multiple deaths in a single household from a respiratory illness are unusual enough to make health officials take notice. These are, however,`early days’, and testing and epidemiological investigations take time.
If we get some more definitive information on this cluster, I’ll pass it along.
In the meantime, regardless of what this turns out to be, getting a seasonal flu shot and practicing good `flu hygiene’ (covering coughs, washing hands, staying home when sick), are your best protections against winter respiratory illnesses.
