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Swine flu claims first Utah victim

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Anonymous | 1:22 p.m. May 20, 2009
What? Did he have any other existing health problems. Please inform.
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Aaron | 1:32 p.m. May 20, 2009
They don't want to tell you he had other existing illnesses. It would dimish the power of the crazy swine flu
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Anonymous | 1:37 p.m. May 20, 2009
The press conference confirmed he had chronic health problems that may have contributed.
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Anonymous | 2:03 p.m. May 20, 2009
Actually according to the State Health dept. quoted in the other newspaper, "The first Utahn believed to have died due to the new H1N1 swine flu was a young person who did not have underlying health issues.

Where'd you read they'd confirmed he DID have other issues?
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In the meantime | 2:04 p.m. May 20, 2009
Just to keep things in perspective....

While one guy was dying of pig flu, 100 Americans and 600 people worldwide have died of the regular flu.
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G.S.H | 2:06 p.m. May 20, 2009
Why is there swing flu in utah where it come from is it here to get everyone sick because they are alot of people getting sick in the worl
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ah | 2:19 p.m. May 20, 2009
Everyone run, the pig flu is here
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Anon | 2:40 p.m. May 20, 2009
Musta watched a Porky the Pig cartoon to soon after a Pepe Gonzales one. Throw in a Tweety bird episode and there you have the Swine-Bird Flu from Mexico.
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ARF | 2:46 p.m. May 20, 2009
The article said that he had been battling other illnesses all Spring. Just thought I'd point that out for you.
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1st celeb to die of swine flu | 2:49 p.m. May 20, 2009
The first celeb fatality: Kermit the frog, and we know who's responsible. She was his significant other and enjoyed mud baths.
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Aaaaaah | 3:25 p.m. May 20, 2009
PANIC!
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annoyed! | 3:54 p.m. May 20, 2009
People making jokes about the swine flu following a story about a young man who has died is just sick and wrong! Don't you people have any sense of right or wrong? A MAN DIED FROM THE SWINE FLU!!! Take a good look at yourself in the mirror and ask "Would I be making fun of this if this was my son that died?"
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Mr. Lalo | 4:12 p.m. May 20, 2009
I honostly think that the whole issue about the swine flu is over talked. I am currently working in Mexico City and I can tell you that that swine flu should not be a big deal. Yes, people can get infected and yes people can die...but the chances of dying are way too low. I agree with "While one guy was dying of pig flu, 100 Americans and 600 people worldwide have died of the regular flu." Think over look at the swine flu. Just keep yourself clean, run from people who seem to have symptomes and you will be okay.
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thanks for celeb comment | 4:19 p.m. May 20, 2009
Hey whoever wrote the Kermit the frog comment, THANK YOU. Hilarious. I needed a good laugh. I'm sick of hearing about swine flu....

People get sick. People die. Wash your hands, get enough sleep, eat right, and keep living your life. No panic here.
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RE: Annoyed | 4:23 p.m. May 20, 2009
Relax. We are all dying, none of us gets out of this alive. The humor is a way of dealing with death. This humor wasn't a personal attack on the young man that died, its an editorial on the news media's reporting. Thousands have died in the last few months from the regular flu, AIDS, Cancer etc. yet the swine flu deaths get front page news. I'm sorry for the grief of the family. I'm also an optimist, I believe he lives on.
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JB | 4:24 p.m. May 20, 2009
Thank you, annoyed. I was thinking about friends and relatives of this young man who will get on here and read the comments and it sickens me.

As far as the underlying health conditions, I take that with a grain of salt. One man who died of this flu who was in his fifties was reported as also having health problems. All he had was gout which has no effect on flu. With two other cases, it was also reported that they had health problems and both families denied this.

Because of the initial hysteria, now the pendulum is swinging the other way. Most people are totally ignorant of the fact that most first waves of pandemics are mild. I hope you can still joke about this if there is a second wave.

BTW, almost all flu deaths are the very old or babies and/or people with diabetes, heart disease, cancer or other very serious illnesses.
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DSC | 4:33 p.m. May 20, 2009
Let's just get this straight. A man died who had the Swine Flu Virus, along with several other underlying health issues. So, it sounds to me that he was very sick before he became infected with the H1N1 virus. This seems to be the case. Most, if not all, of the deaths "caused" by the Swine Flu are people who were already in a weakened or terminal condition. But you would have to dig pretty deep to get that info. It just kills the sensational aspect of the story.
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Cats | 5:12 p.m. May 20, 2009
The young man had other underlying health problems, but the swine flu obviously was at least a contributing factor.

My heart goes out to his family at this time.

Some of you people are really insensitive.
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What a shame! | 5:15 p.m. May 20, 2009
If you don't have anything kind or nice to say, please, don't say anything at all! What a shame!

A 21 year old young man has died! Bottom line, he was way too young to die! The comments that have been made regarding how he died and the needless attempts to make this sad story a funny one is both APPALLING and PATHETIC!

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Loralai | 5:29 p.m. May 20, 2009
You know what is really making me mad about the situation, all the media reports that are WRONG. I'm not an alarmist by any step but every blasted time we hear of a swine flu death it immediately says "underlying health condition." We now have seen TWICE this is not the case. Pregnant woman who died? They repeated over and over she had underlying health conditions. Husband came on TV just yesterday to tell the world this is wrong. There was nothing wrong with her. Assistant Principal in NY who died, the media again proclaimed "underlying health conditions". Family came on TV and said this was absolutely false. He had gout which in no way contributed.

So why isn't the media telling the truth? Is it the Dr.'s just too afraid to start a panic? I'm sick of the reporting going on by the media where they are not giving the correct information.

Tell it like it is. Healthy people are dying from it. Which is why it's cause for a slight concern, because the regular seasonal flu kills yes... but the majority are the elderly and the young children.
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