Third suburban victim succumbs to H1N1 complications
A third person in the past week has died because of the H1N1 virus, health officials confirmed Wednesday.
The death of a 50-year-old Crystal Lake man at Centegra Hospital 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 suffered other undisclosed medical conditions that made him more vulnerable to the H1N1 virus, said health department spokesman Deborah Quackenbush.
His death follows the deaths this week of a 5-year-old from Hoffman Estates and a 41-year-old woman from Gurnee. All three had underlying medical conditions when contracting the virus.
Lake County Health officials said the woman from Gurnee died Oct. 23.
The 5-year-old Hoffman Estates also died of complications from the H1N1 virus.
Michael Siver, a kindergartener at Thomas Jefferson School in Hoffman Estates, died Saturday. He, too, was suffering from other symptoms and had a chronic underlying medical condition.
The McHenry County health department is holding an appointment-only vaccination clinic from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, at Johnsburg High School, 2002 W. Ringwood Road in Johnsburg, for individuals between 10 and 24 years old, health care workers and first responders younger than 50 and caregivers for infants.
Another appointment-only clinic, this one for children between 2 and 9 years old, will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, at The Salvation Army, 290 W. Crystal Lake Ave., Crystal Lake.
Appointments for either clinic can be made at ww.mcdh.info or by calling (815) 334-2800.
The department also is holding a clinic for children's vaccinations Tuesday, but there are no longer available slots for that event.
For updates or additional information on H1N1, visit mcdh.info, twitter.com/mchenrycohealth or call the department's flu hotline at (815) 334-2800.
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