Nanfang Daily News report by Chen Yi: Recently, a woman who died in childbirth in Foshan was found to have been infected with H1N1 influenza A prior to her death. However, whether she died from H1N1 still awaits determination by health department experts (as reported on February 12). According to a bulletin issued at 10 PM last night by the Foshan Health Bureau, the cause of death for this woman was not due to H1N1, but rather septic shock and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). A relevant official from the Foshan Health Bureau stated that because the patient's diagnosis upon death revealed the presence of type A H1N1 virus, the Foshan health department still classified this woman as an H1N1-related death case and reported it to the provincial health department.
Confirmed Diagnosis of Type A H1N1 Influenza
Recently, media reports indicated that a pregnant woman nearing delivery was admitted to Gaoming People's Hospital due to persistent fever caused by a cold. After giving birth, she developed a cough and her condition worsened. She was diagnosed with H1N1 flu, and despite all-out efforts to save her life, the patient passed away at 23:34 on February 10, 2011. The exact cause of death still awaits confirmation by authoritative departments.
The Foshan Health Bureau announced that on February 12, some members of the city’s medical rescue expert group for H1N1 influenza unanimously agreed: Based on the patient's clinical manifestations and laboratory pathogen test results, she could be confirmed as having contracted H1N1 influenza, along with rheumatic heart disease and post-cesarean section complications, making her a high-risk patient. The treatment was extremely challenging with a relatively high mortality rate. "The cause of death for this woman was not due to H1N1, but rather septic shock and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS)," according to a related official from the Foshan Health Bureau.
Seven Reasons Listed in Death Diagnosis
Given that the deceased had suffered from various serious illnesses during her lifetime, determining the cause of death proved quite difficult. After detailed diagnosis, the health department listed seven diagnostic conclusions regarding the patient's death, including two pre-existing conditions—rheumatic heart disease and cesarean section surgery—as well as five other diagnoses: 1) Type A H1N1 influenza (critical type); 2) Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS); 3) Severe sepsis; 4) Septic shock; 5) Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS).
Based on the progression and symptoms exhibited by the patient, the expert panel selected two primary causes of death from the seven diagnoses. For instance, abnormal blood pressure before death is a common symptom triggered by shock, leading to the conclusion of septic shock. Additionally, based on multiple signs of multi-functional organ insufficiency syndrome discovered in the lab tests, it was determined that the patient died from MODS.