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ST. LOUIS, MO -
A St. Louis County man who had swine flu has died. If officials confirm he died from the disease he would be the first swine flu death in Missouri. He was one of five confirmed swine flu cases in St. Louis County and one of twenty in Missouri. County health officials say the 44 year old man had traveled to Mexico in late April. When he returned to St. Louis in early May he didn't feel well. Around May 8th he was hospitalized and remained there until he died early this morning.
Get More Information on The Swine Flu In Our Special Section
Health officials call this an unusual case.
Dr. Dolores Gunn is head of the county health department, "It appears at this time it was a more aggressive form and it was rather unusual here in the state of Missouri for this particular 44 year old male because it was so unusual that this is why we're working directly with the Centers for Disease Control and the State of Missouri."
She says it's unusual because at this point it appears the man did not have any underlying medical problems.
Although officials are not releasing the man's identify Fox 2 has learned he worked at an athletic complex in Bridgeton where he served as a part-time umpire. Friends say he was popular in what can be an unpopular job.
John Bell knew the patient, "He was liked by everyone whether it was coaches, teams, players, fans, you know he was a friend on the field and off the field."
Other friends describe the victim as an outgoing person who was a loving father.
Missouri has reported 20 cases of swine flu. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 47 states plus the District of Columbia have a combined 5,123 confirmed and probable cases of swine flu. And the World Health Organization said 40 countries have reported more than 9,830 cases, mostly in the U.S. and Mexico. Global deaths before the St. Louis County case were at 80 -- 72 in Mexico, six in the U.S., one each in Canada and Costa Rica.
Get More Information on The Swine Flu In Our Special Section
Health officials call this an unusual case.
Dr. Dolores Gunn is head of the county health department, "It appears at this time it was a more aggressive form and it was rather unusual here in the state of Missouri for this particular 44 year old male because it was so unusual that this is why we're working directly with the Centers for Disease Control and the State of Missouri."
She says it's unusual because at this point it appears the man did not have any underlying medical problems.
Although officials are not releasing the man's identify Fox 2 has learned he worked at an athletic complex in Bridgeton where he served as a part-time umpire. Friends say he was popular in what can be an unpopular job.
John Bell knew the patient, "He was liked by everyone whether it was coaches, teams, players, fans, you know he was a friend on the field and off the field."
Other friends describe the victim as an outgoing person who was a loving father.
Missouri has reported 20 cases of swine flu. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 47 states plus the District of Columbia have a combined 5,123 confirmed and probable cases of swine flu. And the World Health Organization said 40 countries have reported more than 9,830 cases, mostly in the U.S. and Mexico. Global deaths before the St. Louis County case were at 80 -- 72 in Mexico, six in the U.S., one each in Canada and Costa Rica.
