Local woman dies as flu cases triple

ATLANTA, GA. — According to the Centers for Disease Control the confirmed number of A (H1N1) influenza cases in Pennsylvania tripled in the first three weeks of June, rising from 299, with no fatalities on June 5, to 942 and three associated deaths by June 19. A local death was reportedly attributed to ongoing influenza outbreak last week when an unidentified 48-year-old Pike County woman died on June 14 at Bon Secours Hospital in Port Jervis. Pike County Coroner Kevin Stroyan said Friday that influenza has not yet been identified officially as the cause of death. The World Health Organization has declared the influenza A (H1N1) virus outbreak to be in a pandemic phase, characterized by community level outbreaks in at least one other country in a different WHO region.