Minnesota: Seventh H1N1 Death is First Grader in the Metro Area

"Swine flu vaccine arrives in Minnesota"
KARE 11 (October 7, 2009)

"As Minnesota reported its seventh death from swine flu complications Monday, a few hundred doctors and nurses began receiving the first doses of the vaccine health officials hope will slow the flu's spread through the state.

"The latest death was 6-year-old Nathan D. Schilling, who died Sept. 24 in an ambulance outside his house, the Hennepin County medical examiner's office reported. He had no underlying health issues.

"Rev. Steven Briel, the family's pastor at St. John's Evangelical Church in Corcoran, said the family told him Nathan had been hospitalized with the flu but was recovering and had been sent home shortly before he died.

" 'He's in Heaven with Jesus, and that's their comfort and hope,' Briel said of the family.

"Nathan was a first-grader in the church's school. Briel said the school is taking more precautions to prevent the spread of the swine flu, but has no plans to close.

" 'Our hearts go out to the family, Dr. Sanne Magnan, the state health commissioner, said in a statement announcing the death. 'For most people, the H1N1 flu is not severe; however, we know that children are especially vulnerable to this new virus.'

"Minnesota has recorded 327 hospitalized cases of swine flu. Of those, 138 were children under the age of 9, according to the Health Department...."

I first read about this sad news in the St. Cloud Times.

H1N1 is here in Sauk Centre, too. A friend of one of my kids has it - Can't say I'm happy about the situation.

Since children tend to be more susceptible to H1N1, I don't mind that they're 'way ahead of me in line to get the vaccine. I'm approaching old-cootdom, but (apart from diabetes and a few other factors) I'm in pretty good shape. And, I've got a lifetime of experience in not getting sick.

I've been around long enough to realize that 'it rains on the just and the unjust,' life isn't fair, or any of a number of other ways of expressing the idea that bad things occasionally happen to good people.

My prayers are with the parents and friends of Nathan D. Schilling.

As we say around here: Eternal rest grant to him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

List of posts relating to Swine flu 2009; and list of background resources:

• "Swine Flu 2009"
  • "Swine flu 2009 posts"
  • "Background and more information"
  • "WHO Alert Phases"
  • " 'Public Health Emergency' - What's That Mean? "