The swine flu pandemic has claimed its first victim here in America, according to U.S. officials, and he was just shy of his second birthday.
Although the toddler was in Texas, he was actually a Mexican native visiting the states with his family.
The little boy (listed as twenty-three months by Houston, Texas health officials and twenty-two months by U.S. officials) entered the country in early April with "underlying health issues" according to representatives of the CDC. He developed flu symptoms on April 8 and died on April 13. Considering Mexico is still being considered Point O for the swine flu infection, the chances that he brought the disease with him to the states are almost one hundred percent, although health officials say there's little chance he infected his fellow travelers as he wasn't contagious at that point. His family has so far tested clean for the swine flu and remains healthy.
This is a sad and tragic occurrence, but I think we all knew it was coming. The American healthcare system is not infallible, and the deaths in Mexico cannot all be blaimed on the sub-standard care available to poorer residents of that country. The very young and the very old are more highly susceptible to disease (fifty-three children have died this year already from seasonal flu in the states), and that includes swine flu.
But does the fact that a life has actually be claimed inside the borders of our country change your opinion of the pandemic? Chatting up other local parents, we all agreed that we were a little nervous, but rather more confidant by living in our relatively isolated area and access to better healthcare. But that was when we only had sick kids in America. Now we have a tragic death of a little boy (not much younger than my child). Are you more afraid?
Image: Business Week
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