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H1N1 may be tied to death of student

Family: Flu made AACC student vulnerable to voracious staph infection

By ALLISON BOURG, Staff Writer

Published 10/22/09

Walter Brooks Jr. was a healthy 18-year-old college student when he came down with a cough and a slight fever nearly two weeks ago.

Courtesy photo
Walter Brooks Jr. died Wednesday morning after being hospitalized with flu-like symptoms.

What appeared at first to be a minor virus turned deadly when his symptoms worsened last week. Denise Brooks said her son tested positive for the H1N1 virus at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore.

The Brooklyn Park teen died early yesterday morning. He was apparently the first Anne Arundel County resident to die after developing swine flu.

Brooks said the virus, combined with a staph infection her son was fighting, led to organ failure. Doctors amputated both of...

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Diana P - 2009-10-29 16:00:05

The emergency room is NOT the only way into the hospital and to the elevators.

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Mary Ann Donnell - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent

Don't Sound Off Now! - 2009-10-29 15:26:21

DIANA P. did you read this article?

Did you understand the part about the son's distressed phone call to his mother "He's fighting for air"?

How about the part about the doctors trying to save his life by amputating his legs, to no avail?

Please, please have some compassion!! Take your grievances with the hospital someplace else. This is NOT the place for you to sound off.

"I am just saying...."

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C Mac - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent

AAMC - 2009-10-25 10:32:25

H1N1 is a National Emergency yet one must go through the PACKED emerency room at AAMC to get on the main elevator to get to any floor in the hospital.. This make no sense to me at all. There is even a coffee/pasty shop with sick people surrounding it.... My mother is very sick with cancer and was in the hospital (one of many stays) for over 11 days. I had to talk my father who is also very sick through that whole sick scene... While I know we need emergency care and I am gratful for it, I just wnat o know who's great idea it was to have the emerency room in the main foyer of the hospital while they are expanding. Couldnt they have put it somewhere else during this outbreak??? The outbreak was labled a pandemic when it first reared it's head.... What part of pandemic did they not understane??? I am just saying....

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Diana P. - Annapolis, md - Karma: Neutral

Condolences - 2009-10-24 01:02:57

My prayers go out to the Brooks family and friends on the lost of their son.

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A. Barham - crownsville, MD - Karma: Excellent

Coast Guard family - 2009-10-23 18:51:44

Walter's Dad is a co-worker at the Coast Guard Yard.
The entire Yard is deeply saddened by the passing of such a young, healthy and well liked man.

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P. O'Flanagan - Edgewater, MD - Karma: Neutral

So sad - 2009-10-23 13:41:11

While I did not know this young man or his family my neice did know him.
Such a tragedy. I cannot imagine what this family must be going through right now. My son is 16 and I dont know what I would do if something ever happened to him. My thoughts are with this family.

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Ann S. - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent

Prayers - 2009-10-22 14:05:09

My prayers go out to the family. As a parent, I wouldn't wish this nightmare on my worst enemy. Nobody should have to suffer the death of a child.

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Rick M. - Laurel, Md - Karma: Excellent

Thoughts - 2009-10-22 13:55:50

As the parent of a teenager I can't comprehend what this family must be going through. May god bless the Brooks family during this terrible time.

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Michael T. - Crofton, MD - Karma: Good

H1N1 article - 2009-10-22 12:30:48

Fisrt, let me say how sorry I am for the family and friends of this young man. A loss at this age, with so much promise, is truly devastating.

The article itself, is poorly written and full of contradictions. Ms. Bourg states the young man was healthy in her reporting and then says he was suffering from a Staph infection. She reports that the H1N1 tested positive but there are no lab reports. She called the illness a virus with no evidence to support her claim. Once again, a high school newspaper could out report the Capital.

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Robin S. - Churchton, MD - Karma: Neutral

H1N1? - 2009-10-22 12:10:35

This story was all over the local TV news last night. Only one stationed mentioned that the offical cause had yet to be determined. No doctors were interviewed. It very may well be the H1N1 virus, but the news outlets should be a little more cautious than causing a panic. This is a tragic event. We should nail down the facts to prevent any further pain.

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Brian Nurmi - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Good