H1N1 claims 50-year-old Crystal Lake man

The death of a 50-year-old Crystal Lake man over the weekend was a result of the H1N1 flu virus, McHenry County health officials announced this morning.

The man, whose name is not being released, is the first McHenry County resident to die as a result of the virus, and 22nd in Illinois since April.

"This tragic loss reminds us of the serious threat posed by the H1N1 virus," said Patrick J. McNulty, Public Health Administrator for the McHenry County Department of Health. "It is vital that we take precautions to protect ourselves and others by limiting the spread of the virus."

The man, who died at Centegra Hospital, suffered other undisclosed medical conditions that made him more vulnerable to the H1N1 virus, said health department spokesman Deborah Quackenbush.

The health department plans to hold two clinics next week, likely in Johnsburg, to make available the H1N1 vaccine available to those most at risk for the illness. They include pregnant women, individuals between six months and 24 years old, health care workers and those caring for children younger than six months old.

The department will release details about the time and location of the clinics later today, Quackenbush said. For updates or additional information on H1N1, visit mcdh.info, twitter.com/mchenrycohealth or call the department's flu hotline at (815) 334-2800.