Pregnant Woman
Becomes 5th AH1N1 Virus Death in Costa Rica
A pregnant woman who was carrying twins died
Saturday morning from the AH1N1 flu virus,
becoming the fifth death from the virus
since it was it was first reported in Costa
Rica on April 24.
The 25 year old woman, who was in her fifth
month of gestation, died at 1:30pm Saturday
at the Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos (intenside
care unit) of the hospital San Juan de Dios
(HSJD).
The ministerio de Salud reports that the two
fetuses died hours before the woman
succummed to the virus.
The ministra de Salud, María Luisa Ávila,
explained that the woman also suffered from
obesity.
"She got all the medical attention and
follow up at the hospital, but due to her
pregnancy and obesity, they added to the
complications and high risk for patients
with the virus", said Ávila.
The woman's husband said that his wife had
had a high fever for five days continuous
until he took her to the Solón Núñez clinic
on June 2 when she was barely able to
breathe. Roberto Gaitán Muñoz said that the
same day she was transferred to the HSJD,
where she was kept in isolation in the
intensive care unit.
Salud officials say the woman died from
Septic shock, a serious medical condition
caused by decreased tissue perfusion and
oxygen delivery as a result of infection and
sepsis, related to her AH1N1 viral
infection.
To date, 54 people are in nine hospitals
with serious cases of pneumonia and
suspected of being infected with the AH1N1.
Ministra Ávila explained that the country's
public hospitals and Ebais' (clinics) are
screening patients much closer for symptoms
of the virus, especially in high risk
patients - those patients overweight,
pregnant and diabetic mainly.
A total of 351 people have been confirmed
infected in Costa Rican with the AH1N1.
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