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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, July 30, 2009

Two recent swine flu deaths were Oçahu men


Advertiser staff

The two recent deaths related to H1N1, or swine flu, were men with underlying medical conditions that contributed to their deaths, said the state Department of Health.

The men, one in is 20s and another in his 30s died early last week, said Janice Okubo, state DOH spokeswoman. The man in his early 20s died on July 21 at his home and the man in his 30s died on July 22 at a hospital.
Their deaths, both on Oçahu, bring the number to six of the number of people who have died from the swine flu since it broke out in April. All six H1N1-related deaths in Hawaiçi have involved people with other health problems. The first reported death happened June 19 in Hawaiçi.
“Influenza can be a serious and fatal illness for those with chronic conditions and weakened immune systems,” said DOH director Dr. Chiyome Fukino, in a prepared statement.
At the moment, the DOH is not releasing the ethnicity of those who have died from the flu, Okubo said, because there are so few cases. Nationwide there have been 302 deaths where the H1N1flu was identified as a contributing factor for patients who had conditions such as asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, diabetes, obesity and were smokers.
Health officials strongly recommend that people with flu symptoms should stay home from work or school, to avoid spreading the disease, whether it’s seasonal or swine flu.