11 days ago
VACAVILLE, CA - H1N1 flu virus complications were confirmed Monday as the cause of death for Alexis Clara, the Vacaville 6-year-old who died last month after contracting the influenza strain, according to the Solano County Sheriff's Office.
The girl died Oct. 18 at Vaca-Valley Hospital after being taken to the hospital's emergency room with flu-like symptoms. The Solano County Coroner's Office determined the girl was infected with H1N1 four days later, but needed further testing to establish definitively what killed the child.
Within days of the first-grader's death, attendence at the girl's school Browns Valley Elementary plummeted by 25 percent amid H1N1 exposure fears.
After determining the girl was infected with H1N1, the Solano County Public Health Division recommended Browns Valley be closed for a week to stop the spread of the illness. The school was reopened Oct. 27.
H1N1 Clinics Open
Counties across Northern California have to be strategic in how they dispense the H1N1 vaccine due to lack of availability.
Nevada County health officials are busy issuing the first wave of innoculations to pregnant women and children six months to 13 years old. "The CDC has a set group of priority groups that they think are most important to get the vaccine based on who's been most affected when their infected with the virus. And based on that we're trying to target our limited vaccine availability to the people we can target most easily in our communities," said Dr. Karen Milman, Nevada County Public Health Officer. H1N1 Flu Clinic Resources for Northern California
News10/KXTV
