UPDATED: 1710hrs EST Mar 6th.
According to WTOP news, in Washington D.C., the son and daughter died from an influenza A infection (strain not disclosed). A h/t to Crof for the link.
UPDATE: Cluster of respiratory-related deaths under investigation in Md.
Medstar Washington Hospital Center reports the son and daughter who died in the hospital had Influenza A. They also had other medical conditions, officials say.
The 81-year-old mother's cause of death is still under investigation.
The health of the other daughter (and fourth victim) is improving, hospital officials say.
# 6200
Earlier today we learned of a cluster of unusual deaths in a family in Calvert County, Maryland, from some type of unidentified `respiratory infection’ (see Maryland: Conflicting Reports On Cluster of Respiratory Deaths).
The Calvert County Health Department has updated their press release to state that there are no new cases as of 3:15 pm EST today.
The Washington Post has an article by Lena H. Sun that adds a little to the story, including that samples will be sent to the CDC for testing. It now appears that there are 3 known deaths, and a fourth person appears to be recovering in the hospital.
Three dead from cluster of respiratory illnesses in Calvert County, Md.
By Lena H. Sun, Tuesday, March 6, 3:32 PM
As far as what the cause of this illness might be, there are a lot of possibilities, and it will probably take several days to sort them out.
Stories like these often take on a life of their own, sometimes with a good deal of embellishment.
In that regard, I’m seeing a number of dubious looking comments left on local news sites, by readers purporting to have some kind of `insider knowledge’ of the situation.
The old adage that A rumor can make it half way around the world before truth has got its boots on has never been truer since the advent of the internet.
With anonymous comments left on websites, Caveat Lector should definitely be your guide.
