Q. Why do some people die and others don't? Do they die in their sleep? Why can doctors not help them?
- Lisa, St. Petersburg
A. Thanks for your question, Lisa. Sometimes the simplest ones are the most important.
Like any disease, influenza affects each person differently. And sadly, some people have died from the swine flu, including more than 110 in Florida.
Those who are most at risk for getting severely ill and dying from swine flu are people with already-compromised respiratory systems. That includes small children, whose bodies are not developed enough to easily fight the swine flu strain, and pregnant women.
Others with respiratory diseases like emphysema also are likely to get seriously ill if exposed to the bug.
These people don't necessarily die in their sleep. It's the infection in their respiratory system that's responsible for the death.
It's important to remember that it's not just swine flu that's deadly.
Every year, seasonal flu is responsible for more than 36,000 deaths nationwide. What's different this year is that swine flu is grabbing a lot more headlines. It's a new, unknown type of influenza scientists are still trying to figure out.
No one wants to see death from something as treatable as flu. That's why so many doctors are suggesting people get vaccinated for both the seasonal and swine flu.
Vaccination is the best known prevention to the disease.
I hope this answers your question.
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