Four more dead of swine flu in past week
| Tuesday, Nov 10 2009 06:28 PM
Last Updated Tuesday, Nov 10 2009 06:28 PM
Kern County's death toll from H1N1 swine flu increased from 10 to 14 during the past week, the Kern County Department of Public Health reported Tuesday.
The first local fatality from seasonal flu was also documented. Doctors say in most years, the seasonal flu doesn't typically take hold until November or December.
In its report, which is released each Tuesday, the department listed the number of hospitalizations for H1N1 at 162, with 11 patients hospitalized so far because of seasonal flu.
All of the patients who died had underlying medical conditions, said a department spokeswoman. Those conditions include heart disease, lung disease, immune deficiency, diabetes, asthma and possibly other illnesses. Pregnant women and obese patients are also included in that higher-risk group.
For the time being, vaccines will continue to be targeted to the following priority groups:
* Ages 6 months to 24 years
* Pregnant women
* Caregivers of infants 6 months of age and younger
* People with underlying health conditions, ages 24 to 64
* Health care workers
Planned H1N1 vaccine clinics:
* Today, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wasco Public Health Office, 810 Eighth St., Wasco.
* Thursday, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Boys and Girls Club, 8301 Segrue Road, Lamont.
* Friday, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Coronado Baptist Church, 516 Norris Road, Bakersfield.
