Two Swine Flu Deaths in Dallas County

By BJ Austin, KERA News

Dallas, TX –

Dallas County is reporting a second Swine Flu death, and one of the first "Tamiflu" resistant cases in the U.S. KERA's BJ Austin reports.

A 37 year old man is the second H1N1, or swine flu, death in Dallas County. Medical Director Dr. John Carlo says the patient had serious underlying medical conditions, as did the 52 year old woman who died a week earlier. Dr. Carlo says emergency room visits for flu are rising.

Carlo: All flu tests have really come back positive for H1N1. So, right now the predominant strain of flu, when it's diagnosed as flu, is H1N1.

Dallas County is reporting one of the SEVEN Tamiflu-resistant cases of swine flu in the U.S. Dr. Carlo says that resistance to the normally effective anti-viral treatment is being watched very closely by the medical community.

The federal government expects to ship H1N1 vaccine to local doctors in mid October. It will be given first to target groups, such as pregnant women, healthcare workers and emergency responders. Dallas County Health Director Zack Thompson hopes the vaccine is not delayed.

Thompson: It must be safe. It must get here on time. And the dates can't keep changing. We cannot have a mis-step with the H1N1 as we've had in the past with the flu vaccine.

Dr. Carlo also says people should not ignore their "seasonal" flu shots. Those strains are expected to increase this winter.

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