Local health officials have confirmed the first death in Yellowstone County related to the H1N1 flu.
The Unified Health Command hosted a news conference on Friday evening and announced that a 6-year old child died here two weeks ago.
Doctors say the death happened at around the time medical personnel gave the first H1N1 vaccines.
Dr. Fred Kahn of St. Vincent Healthcare says even if the child had received the vaccine, it would have taken a couple weeks to build a robust immune response.
The 6-year old child died from pneumonia, due to complications related to the H1N1 flu and the Department of Public Health and Human Services confirmed that on Friday.
Doctors treated the child in St. Vincent's Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and suspected H1N1 at the time. Dr. Kahn says the case highlights the importance of vaccine delivery.
He added that St. Vincent Healthcare, Billings Clinic and RiverStone Health have been aggressively collaborating to prevent the spread of H1N1, and to get the vaccine out quickly.
The Unified Health Command also reported they have received more doses of the H1N1 vaccine and will host a vaccination clinic at the Shrine Auditorium starting Monday and running through November, depending on supply.
The priority is still being given to pregnant women, people who care for infants, health-care workers who have direct contact with patients or infectious material, children aged 6 months to 4 years, and children and adolescents aged 5-18 years with medical conditions that put them at higher risk for flu complications.
Local health officials say if you're in a priority tier for a H1N1 vaccination, the best thing to do is to call your healthcare provider and ask about the availability of the vaccine.
RiverStone Health has also set up a flu information line with updated information. The number is (406) 651.6444.
(from October 23, 2009)
Local health officials confirmed the first death in Yellowstone County related to the H1N1 virus on Friday.
The Unified Health Command hosted a news conference, where it announced that a 6 year old child died here two weeks ago.
The Department of Public Health and Human Services has confirmed the child died of pneumonia, due to complications related to the H1N1 flu. Health officials say the child had respiratory problems, and they suspected h1n1 at the time, but it was not confirmed until Friday. Because of federal regulations, health officials cannot release more specific information about the child.
So far, three people have died of the H1N1 flu in Montana. The other fatalities occurred in Lewis and Clark County and Roosevelt County.
The H1N1 flu has hit communities across the state hard closing some schools and boosting absenteeism in many others, including here in School District Two.
The Unified Health Command has received more doses of the H1N1 vaccine, and will host a vaccination clinic at 1:00 p.m. Monday at the Shrine Auditorium.
This week RiverStone Health received another shipment of H1N1 vaccine. Because vaccine shipment has been in limited quantity, the Unified Health Command (RiverStone Health, St. Vincent Healthcare and Billings Clinic) has determined that the most expedient and efficient method of distribution is through a walk-in H1N1 community clinic for those individuals in the priority group to receive vaccine.
Beginning on Monday, October 26th at 1:00 p.m., RiverStone Health will distribute H1N1 vaccine at the Shrine Auditorium, 1125 Broadwater Avenue. Vaccine will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Provided that a sufficient supply of vaccine arrives each week, beginning Monday and continuing through the month of November, the walk-in H1N1 clinic at the Shrine will be open: Mondays 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
In immunizing people in Yellowstone County, UHC members will continue to follow the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to ensure that the following priority tiers will be among the first to be vaccinated will be pregnant women, then people who live with or provide care for infants less than 6 months (these could include parents, siblings, and daycare providers.) Then health-care and emergency medical service personnel who have direct contact with patients or infectious material. After that children and young adults from 6 months to 24 years and finally people from 25 to 64 who have chronic medical conditions that put them at a higher risk for influenza-related complications.
H1N1 vaccine available at the walk-in clinic contains 975 doses, 750 nasal mist vaccines and 225 injectable vaccines. Because over half of the vaccine available this week is in the nasal mist form, those people who are healthy and in a priority tier will receive the nasal mist form of the H1N1 vaccine.
