Updated: St. Louis Park Girl, 14, Dies of Flu
Carly Christenson died from Influenza A Tuesday afternoon, according to reports. Three SLP girls basketball teams set for Tuesday are postponed.
Updated below. Carly Christenson, the St. Louis Park teen stricken with Influenza A, has died, according to a report from WCCO.
Christenson, 14, came home from basketball practice at St. Louis Park High School with a bad sore throat Dec. 20 and was admitted to Children's Hospital in Minneapolis on Dec. 24. On Jan. 3, doctors gave her a 50-50 chance to survive.
Update 2:56 p.m. Jan. 8: Westwood Lutheran, the Christensons' church, confirmed Carly's death in an announcement posted on their Facebook page an hour ago:
It is with heavy hearts that we post here today. After a courageous battle, Carly passed away this afternoon. She was surrounded by her loving parents, brother, grandparents and a few precious friends as she passed and was welcomed into the arms of her savior.
Her family will be making arrangements over the next days and ask that you continue to support them in prayer.
Update 5:15 p.m. Jan. 8: Three girls basketball games between teams from St. Louis Park High School and Fridley High School have been postponed, according to the schools' websites.
Games between the schools' JV, 9A and varsity squads, originally set to be played at St. Louis Park High School at 5:45 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. will be played another day.
Three boys games between the schools' teams set for Fridley High School will go on, according to the websites.
Update 5:47 p.m. Jan. 8: A report in the Star Tribune says the Minnesota Department of Health has confirmed that a 14-year-old girl died, but did not include her name.
According to the story, "Kris Ehresmann of the state Health Department confirmed that a girl of that age died and said that even if she had a flu shot, as some reports say, 'the vaccine is not 100 percent effective—so sadly, it is possible to have a situation in which someone vaccinated develops influenza.'
"In some cases, vaccination can modify disease, but that is not a guarantee," Ehresmann added. "We still are recommending vaccination" for everyone.
Before Tuesday, The Minnesota Department of Health reported four deaths in the state so far this flu season (as of Dec. 29, 2012). One of those who died was also a teenager: Max Schwolert, 17, of Texas, died Dec. 29 while hospitalized in St. Paul after becoming sick with the flu. He had been visiting relatives in Wisconsin, the Star Tribune reported.
guy davidson
4:36 pm on Tuesday, January 8, 2013
awful
Jo Anne Fystrom
6:50 pm on Tuesday, January 8, 2013
So sad. Prayers for Carly's family and friends.
Mike Hindin
10:26 pm on Tuesday, January 8, 2013
As a parent this is the worst tragedy that can befall a family. Our prayers are with Carly's family friends and our community.
The rest of us can help stop the spread of this virus. While vaccines are not 100% effective and some individuals don't have adequate immunie systems or underlying problems, we can help protect them by getting vaccinated ourselves. There is a public health principal called herd immunity that recognizes that if about 70% of the population is immunized, there are too few susceptible individals to transmit viruses effectively. Immune people are a barrier to transmission to the very young, the very old and other idividuals who can't be vaccinated successfully. Please do your part and get vaccinated.
Dennis
1:52 pm on Sunday, January 13, 2013
I have four friends, even my sister, that are too stubborn to get a shot. I don't understand why. In most cases it is covered by insurance.