Sunday, October 11, 2009

Parents of Woodbrook Elementary students were alerted that a child had died from complications in the hospital. The child is Carson Raymond, a 9-year old in the third grade.

Carson had begun feeling sick a week ago and his family suspected the H1N1 virus was the culprit. He lost his battle with the flu yesterday at UVa Medical Center.

However, Carson had a pre-existing condition that made him susceptible to the flu. He was hospitalized more than two years ago from Influenza B, the most common flu strand.

The doctors at UVa worked tirelessly to try and save Carson, his family says.

The young boy loved baseball and had a great sense of humor. Carson's blood work will be sent to Boston Children's Hospital with the hope that doctors can find out more about the condition that made Carson so vulnerable to the virus.

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Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009

A third grade boy at Woodbrook Elementary School in Albemarle County has died and the swine flu may be to blame.

The family of the 9-year-old says he died Saturday after a brief bout with the virus. He became sick in the middle of last week with swine flu-like symtoms. The child had other medical complications and was especially vulnerable to the flu.

The boy's family credited the University of Virginia Medical Center staff with a valiant effort to save his life.

Woodbrook parents are being notified by telephone that they should prepare their children for a difficult school day on Monday and counselors and other experts will be available to answer questions and help the kids.

Woodbrook was hit hard by the flu nearly a week ago and parents had been asked to volunteer to help out in the school office because so many students and staffers were ill.

On Friday, a letter went home to all Albemarle parents, telling them of the school system's plan to offer free swine flu vaccinations but those shots won't be available for at least another week.

One other person in the Thomas Jefferson Health District died from the swine flu, an adult male. No hometown for that victim was ever publicly released.

Woodbrook has about 320 students and is located east of Route 29 in northern Albemarle County.

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