Yeah, it was a kid in Scottsboro. They are suspecting it was the swine flu, but not saying anything until they are sure.
Like I said, I am one of those that usually thinks most people panic and overreact, especially this past spring when this thing first hit. However, even the doctors at my wife's office are sort of amazed how quickly this thing seems to be spreading since its "comeback". Their concern, as other health officials have expressed, is that this thing getting such an early start on the flu season could be a bad thing because the vaccine for this particular strain is not available much in the United States yet and not predicted to be available until October or November. Before then, the strain may mutate and make the vaccine less effective if not obsolete.
The elderly and kids are really the ones that need to get the vaccine first because they are the population that this thing seems to really do a number on. My wife said it is not the swine flu virus that can kill, but the complications that are developed from it, such as pneumonia most of the time. So, though I am not worried about me, I will be making sure my son gets treated at the first signs of anything, especially since there are already many cases confirmed at his school.
Most of you probably remember GoAU (Joe) over at AUN. The daughter of a good friend of his got real sick and they had to take her to the ER. The girl had pneumonia from what turned out to be the swine flu. She was transferred to Vanderbilt where they had to do surgery and put a tube in her chest. While that was going on, he was watching the family's son for them and the son became sick and was diagnosed with the swine flu. Joe's two sons also became ill for several day, but fortunately for him they did not become as sick as his friend's kids and have already gotten better. Yet, Joe's four daughters have not showed any signs of illness.