Judy Trunnell, First American Swine-Flu Victim

Every deadly disease has its own unfortunate victims. And Judy Trunnell of Harlingen, Texas became the first American resident to die of swine flu.

Trunnell, age 33 at the time of her death, lived at Cameron County, about 63,000 miles near the U.S.-Mexico border. She taught in the Mercedes Independent School District (MISD) at Mercedes, Texas about 15 miles west. She taught disabled children at MISD. She mothered a four-year-old, and was eight-month pregnant.

On 14 April 2009, she had her checked up. Five days later, she went to the hospital, complaining of difficulty breathing. She tested negative for H1N1 by the local hospital but the Center for Disease Control later confirmed she was positive. She slipped into a coma and had to be hospitalized five days later and placed on life support thereafter. Her healthy baby girl had to be delivered by Cesarean section.

The area was declared in epidemic for Type A influenza, of which swine flue is one variety (H1N1). She had "chronic underlying health conditions," according to her attending physician, which worsened her response againt the flu.

She died on 5 May 2009.

Related reports in ABC2, Evening Standard, and NBC.

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