3 Members of Family Die From Respiratory Illnesses, 4th Sickened in Calvert County
Flu blamed for 2 of the deaths
Updated: Tuesday, 06 Mar 2012, 10:23 PM EST
Published : Tuesday, 06 Mar 2012, 5:22 PM EST
Sherri Ly twitter/SherriLyFox5
sherri.ly@foxtv.com By SHERRI LY/myfoxdc
PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. - A deadly outbreak of flu appears to have killed three people in Calvert County, all from the same family. The Calvert County Health Department began investigating the cluster of deaths on Monday trying to find the source of this outbreak.
The first victim was an 81-year-old Lusby woman who got sick less than two weeks ago and died. Her son and two daughters, all in their 50s, were taking care of her when they got sick too. Within days, those two were dead.
"I just couldn't believe all of this was going on in my aunt's house,” said Carl Lockes, who identified the elderly victim as his aunt Ruth Blake. “I don't know if it's something in the house or coming in contact with a germ or something."
Doctors at Washington Hospital Center now say the son and daughter who died were infected with influenza A. Lab tests are also being done on the mother to see if she was infected by the same flu virus.
On Tuesday morning, a team of environmental health specialists scoured the victim's home on Rousby Hall Road. Calvert County health officials believe the outbreak was isolated to the house and those in close contact with the elderly victim who lived there.
Lockes said at first it seemed like a cold, and then suddenly they died. He identified the other victims as Lowell and Vanessa Blake, with their sister Elaine as the sole survivor. Relatives say she is improving and that her breathing tube was removed on Tuesday.
"We got a large family. Everybody's concerned about what's going on. It's been very tragic for the family," said Lockes.
The health department has warned doctors in the county to be aware of anyone reporting respiratory illnesses. The school system also notified parents to be aware and to call their doctors if they notice similar flu like symptoms.
County health officials called the flu strain very virulent, with an incubation period of just two to three days, but don't believe the outbreak poses a greater public health risk. No other similar cases have been reported.
"I know there was concern this may be an infection spreading in the community, house-to-house, children involved. That is not the case. We have no evidence at this point any individual other than these four people have been affected," said Dr. David Rogers, a Calvert County Health Officer.
The health department is keeping an eye on relatives and hospital staff or others who came in close contact with the victims, but say no one else has gotten sick so far.
Still, the health department says a few more days will need to pass before they can declare that this outbreak has passed.
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http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/marylan ... z1oREO9qPa
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