The 10-year-old Harlem girl who died of complications associated with the novel influenza A H1N1 virus appeared to be healthy before contracting the disease, a family spokesman said today.
The Rev. Rodney MacRae said the family of Summer Rockefeller isn’t sure where she got the virus. The Rev. MacRae is pastor of Calvary Tabernacle in Waynesboro, Ga., where Summer’s aunt Theresa Martin worships.
A public health official who confirmed Tuesday that Summer had contracted the disease, commonly referred to as swine flu, also said the girl seemed not to have any other medical condition that could have compromised her health.
“There were no underlying major medical conditions that we know of yet,” said Joy Miller, an epidemiologist with the Augusta-based District 6 state Health Department.
A database of Georgia deaths from lab-confirmed influenza A H1N1 virus showed that in all but one of the 25 deaths the patient had an underlying medical condition, the Georgia Division of Public Health reported. The one death was that of a 7-year-old girl in Whitfield County. Another case, of a 41-year-old Ware County woman, is still being investigated.
As of today, the database did not contain Summer’s case and the division was checking to see whether it had received notice of her death as one caused by the virus.
In a study of child deaths from novel H1N1 virus published last month in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that of 23 deaths it examined where pathology and culture reports were available, 10 of those children had a bacterial infection as well. Of those, six were 5 years old or older and had no underlying health conditions that would have contributed to greater risk from flu. In two other deaths with no underlying conditions, no sample was collected or the bacterial status was unknown, according to the report.
The Rev. MacRae said neither of Summer’s parents had health insurance, but he disputed reports that her medical bills totaled nearly $3 million. He also said that neither parent had lost a home, as a Columbia County school board member said Monday.
Summer’s funeral is scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday in the chapel of Chance and Hydrick Funeral Directors, 2502 Richmond Hill Road.
Staff writer Tom Corwin contributed to this story.
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My prayers are with this family. I am glad to hear that the parents did not lose their home.
Glad to hear that financial side is some better than first reported. What does the line "neither parent lost a home" mean or is that a typo. All need to remember Harlem Baptist is receiving funds for them. May all friends and family be blessed with the peace only Christ can give. We need to pray over our children daily as the enemy satan is always seeking whom he can kill or destory. Also we need to pray that all truth comes to light about the disease and the vaccine so everyone makes wise decisions. The Holy Spirit promises to lead us into all truth.
RIP Summer.
Won't medicaid cover children of parents who don't have income? Shouldn't most of the bills be covered by medicaid? If both parents were unemployed surely they obtained medicaid coverage for her, right?