• Sweden edition

Young woman with swine flu dies in Sweden

Published: 18 Nov 09 11:16 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/23332/20091118/

A 20-year-old woman from Norrköping in eastern Sweden has died after contracting the swine flu virus.

The woman was admitted on Friday to Vrinnevi Hospital's infectious diseases ward, where she was being treated for pneumonia.

Test results released on Saturday showed that she had also contracted the A/H1N1 virus.

She died at the hospital on Monday.

The 20-year-old was the first woman in Sweden to die from an illness directly linked to the swine flu.

Previously middle-aged men made up the eight first victims in Sweden whose deaths from swine flu-related illnesses have been confirmed by the authorities.

Local health authorities are set to hold a press conference dealing with the young woman's death at 1pm on Wednesday.


TT/The Local (news@thelocal.se/08 656 6518)

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16:03 November 18, 2009 by Nemesis
I feel sorry for this girl and her family.

I have just had my vaccination.

In Sweden we are getting the vaccination for free.

A suggestion get the vaccine and don't listen to the consipiracy theorists.
20:22 November 18, 2009 by pinkjess
The headline says "young women with swine flu dies in Sweden" NOT "Young women dies from swine flu". The women was being treated for pneumonia witch is one of the biggest killers during the flu season. I don't understand why people aren't looking at all the facts. More than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related complications; and about 36,000 people die from flu-related causes each year in the USA alone. That is just the reported cases. People are panic-ed and jumping on the fear ban wagon of this swine flu, when in reality this flu has shown to mild in most cases. I'm not saying not to take precaution to protect your self but I think this has gone over board. The hype and media have put people into a panic, people think they will die if they contract swine flu, in most cases that's not true.

Now to the vaccine. I'm pregnant and I will not be taking the swine flu vaccine. I have done my home work, the vaccine has been rushed to market with very little testing. It takes 6 month to properly test and secure the safety standards of a vaccine. Little to none were tested on pregnant women and there are no facts on the long term side affects. You can put it either way, that its irresponsible to not have the vaccine. Well I think just the opposite... I think Its irresponsible to have the vaccine if your pregnant, you are not only injecting yourself but your baby too. I read that 28 pregnant women have died for the swine flu so far, But I searched all over the Internet and the CDC web page, it even says that they do not record the amount of deaths in pregnancy women for the regular seasonal flu. hmmm that's strange maybe cause the amount of deaths are more or the same??? What they are not telling you is that if someone has the vaccine and dies a week later, that is not considered a complication of the vaccine. I have even heard personal stories that someone was vaccinated and became ill with swine flu within days, The doctors told them they must have contracted the flu before the shot. Please whoever believes that's has to be mad. That is how the doctors cover there asses so they don't have a huge uproar on there hands.

I want to stress that I'm in not way telling people what to do, Its a personal choice. Everyone has to make there own decision and live with the consequences as do I. Its was a hard decision for me and my husband to make. I believe are bodies are made to fight infection whatever it may be, I believe we have doctors and hospitals to help us when necessary. I will keep living a healthy lifestyle, washing my hands, taking vitamins. If all else fails and I do come down with a cold at the first sign Ill call my doctor to prevent in any further complications. I think this flu is real and we need to be cautious but not fear.
21:26 November 18, 2009 by Nemesis
@ pinkjess

I think you should re-read teh article.

The Local is for Sweden. It does not cover USA news.

Sweden is on the other side of the Atlantic form the USA, with a health care system most Americans can't even dream of.

Healthcare systems in Europe are not in bed to the same extent as the CDC in the USA.
22:02 November 18, 2009 by pinkjess
Im aware of that, I live in sweden, I have for 3 years. Its still the same vaccine. Im not exactulay sure if the death rates in sweden from seasonal flu, but what does that have to do with anything. Its stil the facts in the USA or not. The news is pretty much the same here and in the US when it come to the swin flu.
00:10 November 19, 2009 by Nemesis
@ pinkjess

I had the vaccination today and am still alive. My friends have had it also.

In America the health care system is not comparable with Sweden in any way.

People are healthier in Sweden, live longer and get better health care in Sweden.

As for the Vaccine. If it is not safe, I would not have taken it.
01:47 November 19, 2009 by Ahlindra
@ pinkjess

I'm pregnant and have not yet taken the vaccine, I keep going back and forth about doing it or not.

I have also been doing my homework, reading news papers, Swedish and international, talking with different medical personal and looking up how older vaccines have affected pregnant women and their babies.

But from what I have been told, and read myself, the vaccine, however new this version is, is based on the make up of older vaccines, that has been given to pregnant women before. And that the harmful ingredients in the vaccine will not pass over through to the baby.

However it will give your baby a natural resistant against the swine flu for 3 months after birth.

Not to mention how much damage your baby could take if you did end up sick while pregnant. And that you are less capable to fight off a flu while pregnant is not something that's debatable but a fact.

When looking at it from that angle, if you choose to believe and trust it, would you not say it would be irresponsible to not take the shot?
02:37 November 19, 2009 by pinkjess
Ahlindra,

I understand its a really hard diction. I have been going through the same thing as you weather its safe or not to take the vaccine. If I was positive that its safe I would for sure take it but that's just not the case in my mind.

Its a really difficult and personal diction and I'm sure whatever diction we both make with be what we believe is best for us and are baby's. I wish so much that there was a simple and clear answer.

I defiantly don't think I have all the answers, I wish I did. I wish you the best in whatever diction you make, and I hope ether way you have a safe and healthy baby. :)

@Nemesis

I never said you would die if you take the vaccine. I said you don't know the long term side affects and you may never know.

I'm not even talking about the America health care system and how it dosent compare to swedes health care.

The swine flu is the same here and in the USA and the vaccine is the same also. I was merely stating a fact that the amount of deaths in the US due to seasonal flu are high as a norm. To prove a point that deaths happen all the time with seasonal flu and we don't freak out about that, cause its not in the news and paper everyday.

I don't have the numbers about the deaths from the flu in Sweden but GREAT health care or not, I'm sure there are deaths ever year here too. Btw Are you American? Because if Not how do you know what the health care providers are in the US, I and American and I have lived in Sweden for 3 years, I have experienced both health care systems, I wouldn't say one is better than the other on a medical stand point. If you break your arm in America you get a cast some medication and x rays, If you break your arm in Sweden you get the same exact thing.

If your talking about the system in witch we get health care that's a different story. Here in Sweden we pay high taxes and get greater benefits, in the america I agree that there are many problems with the system. But that's really a whole other subject.
08:37 November 19, 2009 by thelionking
@pinkjess

I am leaning more with your thinking on this one despite the fact "..you are American and think differently to Swedish..." sic

I find it funny on this forum how chest beating, flag hugging, xenophobic people can get when challenged with a liberal thinking. Attacking the roots of a contributor does not invalidate their comments!

Pinkjess, do you recall a time when if you aired a non Swedish idea like oh lets see.....suggesting pain killers be made more easily available, the tirade of abuse on how non Swedish it was to get your "Alvedons" at the grocery shop.

Love Sweden. Love Swedes.But comments like these are absurd... "I had the vaccination today and am still alive. My friends have had it also."....yeah ok, So we should all follow your example because you and your mates know what exactly..

Pinkjess you're right the information is limited on this vax. No one can defend that there has been extensive research on the issues you have reasonably put forward. No one. Besides to say its recommendation. So if people want to be sheep....I am liberal in my thinking to let them be.

Perhaps, I feel with you because like yourselves my wife and I are expecting a baby during this circus of confusion. There is a lot of debate between:-

1. non medical public

2. uninformed conformists

3. uninformed fear spinners

4. media spin doctors

"A little information can be a dangerous thing"...I have read/heard somewhere in my life. And all the debaters 1-4 qualify in this respect.

I remember not so long ago a minister in England who went on tv to eat a hamburger with his daughter during Mad Cows hysteria. Dont think ANYONE knows enough to make such a committment publically on this vax in the same way.

I have TOTALLY missed "the big public speech on A/H1N1 vax" from an AUTHORITY. You gotta wonder why ? Could there be liability issues??? All this makes all this swineflu vax lark really 'sus' So yeah pinkjess. Your decision is not so crazy because you are thinking about your unborn child.

"prevention is better than cure" indeed! Eat well. Exercise. Drink water. And you will be surprised how much better our bodies can take care of themselves. There are millions of things out there that are apparently medically "treatable/curable/preventable" and also waiting to kill us. Why is there no hype about them things too?
13:29 November 19, 2009 by Schumi
I totally agree with pinkjess.

It seems that already two pregnant women have lost their babies

after being vaccinated in Portugal. The autopsies will reveal if it was a coincidence or not.

Also, at least in Spain -where by the way the 70% of the health workers do not want to get the shot- a special vaccine without adjuvants will be given to the pregnant women.

Here in Sweden it seems that most of the people wants to get the vaccine, but the polls show that in other countries like Germany, Spain, France, etc it is less than the 20% of the population who plans to get it.
20:29 November 20, 2009 by skylarkpilot
If world leaders are not taking the vaccine and their children are not getting vaccinated there has to be a reason.

Perhaps they are immune because they are so great.

Perhaps great wealth or an elevated position protects you from common peoples viruses.

Perhaps they think getting vaccinated is riskier than getting swine flu which most the experts seem to be saying is no worse than ordinary seasonal flu.

Flu can kill. It always has been able to kill and it turns up every year and kills some people. The numbers for swine flu are no more and no less from what I can see.

The danger that no one seems to talk about is mutation of the virus due to large scale vaccination programmes, and the fact that mutated swine flu could be even more deadly. We could be setting ourselves up for potential disaster so where's the big public debate.

People are going to have to make up their own minds. My eighteen year old son is due to get the vaccine. He and his friends are divided around 50/50 as to whether to get it or not. My five year old daughter was supposed to be vaccinated but no one wants to answer any questions about the risks one way or another.

I confess to being completely torn. Do I let her get vaccinated and accept the risks, or leave her un vaccinated and accept the risks.

Where is the information that we need from those who are supposed to be in charge ?
06:48 November 21, 2009 by thelionking
Quote - @skylarkpilot

"Where is the information that we need from those who are supposed to be in charge ? "

Hear hear...

NO official will dare speak on the matter because of liability issues clearly.

Doctors,nurses, medics,ministers are all hiding behind

"its recommendation..its recommendation its recommendation.." in public. (I know a few who privately share a VERY different view to their 'work time' opinion)

- no offence to anyone hear but if we (on this forum) can come up 'lay man' scientic questions that those in the 'know' are unable to answer. Is it so unreasonable to smell a rat again with all this.

Why are different governments coming up with different solutions?

How does the "Tamilflu" approach differ to the vax??
13:38 November 22, 2009 by fly_pinay123
hej..im six mos. preggy also and I supposed to be vaccinated earlier since they started the vaccination becoz im in the high risk but i opted not to be vaccinate..i know the risk if you have the flu but i take much water everyday, eat fruits esp rich in vitaminC. . take some vitamins and wash your hands as often as you can...live healthy!!
02:35 November 23, 2009 by pinkjess
fly_pinay123

I'm pregnant too, and I was just reading about natural safe ways to boost your immune system when pregnant . I found that you can take Echinacea!

I would ask your doctor and read up on it for sure, but Im gonna start taking it when I know I will be in crowed ares or out in public. I wouldn't take it every day cause that might be a bit unnecessary, when your pregnant you don't want to add stuff to your body that's not 100% necessary but from what I have read its pretty safe to take Echinacea.

I also just saw that someone posted this on the from page about the vaccine... I was so happy to see it. I hope its true but I have always taken echinacea and it has seemed to work so far! GOOD LUCK!! :)

German scientists have found that Echinacea inhibits the H1N1 virus in a 99%

Pleschka S., Stein M., Schoop R., Hudson J.B. "Anti-Viral properties and mode of action of standardized Echinacea purpurea extract against highly pathogenic avian Influenza virus (H5N1, H7N7) and swine-origin H1N1 (S-OIV)". Virology Journal.

http://www.virologyj.com/content/pdf/1743-422x-6-197.pdf .
09:08 November 23, 2009 by michcas
My heart goes out to her family. But, her death does not surprise me the least. I have caught h1n1 and still getting over it. My ordeal has been a hell and I am still here because of Gods will, not the Swedish health care.

This has been so frustrating, I have to tell someone about it. It started a little over a week ago. My Sambo had an easy varient of the Swine Flu and was home the first week. I thought I would be lucky and miss it but it hit me hard instead. After the first day, with difficulty to breath, I did want they said, and contacted Vårdcentralen. The first morning, I thought I would die. The fever was so high and I could barely get out of bed. Downed a few alvedon, took some breathing spray and got a time to see the doc. After examination, and tests, the docs didnt seem to think I had the swine flu. His diagnoses was a cold and an flu at the sametime. He said we could go out and meet people! Home again and waited for the test results. Extremely sick Saturday, Sunday and still difficult to breathe. Called the vårdcentral on monday and they confirmed it is h1n1. OK, what do we do now we asked? Nothing they said. I dont understand why a person should go to them at all. No medication, just your own luck if you are going to make it or not. To pay so much tax for this kind of treatment is amazing. For anyone else that gets a bad case of the swine flu. Good luck, you are going to need it.
19:35 November 23, 2009 by fly_pinay123
thank you for the info. but where can I buy that Echinacea ? in apoteket? yah its true theres no complete data that can prove on how your body will react with the new vaccination now., . the only thing you do if you want to be vaccinated its your choice but theres no guarantee also that you cant acquire with that nya influensa or ordinary flu,.but if you opted not too also be aware for whatever things you do , live healthy and take much fluid esp. water everyday..think positive!
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