KALAMAZOO -
The death toll from h1n1 in Kalamazoo County climbed to three this week. On Wednesday, 10-year-old Kamren Blakely died from the disease. His mother, Donna Blakely, tells FOX 17 news that the little boy had no underlying health conditions.
Kamren first became ill with a cough and fever about two weeks ago. At first, doctors believed it was bronchitis; it was only later that the boy was diagnosed with h1n1.
Blakely says she wants parents to take her tragedy and use it as a wake-up call.
"Do not take this flu lightly; it's very serious," she said.
But the Kalamazoo County Department of Health and Community Services also wants to remind people not to panic. They say this strain of flu has not been more dangerous or deadly than the regular seasonal flu.
"As always can happen with the flu, complications can arise, so you have to be looking for fevers that spike. You need to be looking for severe shortness of breath, real difficulty breathing, tightness in the chest," said Director Linda Vail Buzas.
Buzas says so far the fatality rate for h1n1 is less than .1 percent. That's the same rate as the seasonal flu.
Kamren first became ill with a cough and fever about two weeks ago. At first, doctors believed it was bronchitis; it was only later that the boy was diagnosed with h1n1.
Blakely says she wants parents to take her tragedy and use it as a wake-up call.
"Do not take this flu lightly; it's very serious," she said.
But the Kalamazoo County Department of Health and Community Services also wants to remind people not to panic. They say this strain of flu has not been more dangerous or deadly than the regular seasonal flu.
"As always can happen with the flu, complications can arise, so you have to be looking for fevers that spike. You need to be looking for severe shortness of breath, real difficulty breathing, tightness in the chest," said Director Linda Vail Buzas.
Buzas says so far the fatality rate for h1n1 is less than .1 percent. That's the same rate as the seasonal flu.
