BOWLING GREEN -
Wood County health officials confirmed yesterday that a local resident became the first in the county to die of complications of swine flu.
Kevin Babcock, 53, of Bowling Green died Wednesday at Wood County Hospital after battling pneumonia and bronchitis since August, his sister, Starlah Burks, said. She said he tested positive last week for the H1N1 virus.
"In 2006, he had open-heart surgery and had a pacemaker put in," she said. "He has been fighting. He's just been struggling."
Ms. Burks said her older brother was unable to work after suffering a major heart attack. "He couldn't do anything and he was bored with his life, but he would do anything for anybody," she said. "He was a very giving person, brother, and friend."
Pat Snyder, county Health Department spokesman, said Wood County Hospital reported the death to her department. "Someone has died who tested positive for H1N1, and the hospital believes it was due to complications from H1N1," she said.
Health Commissioner Pam Butler said 12 Wood County residents have been hospitalized with H1N1 since Aug. 30. Mr. Babock is the first to die."Our thoughts are with those affected by this," she said. "We knew there would be fatalities from H1N1, but that does not make this news any easier to hear."
Lucas County has had one suspected H1NI death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will study whether a 24-year-old Toledoan who delivered premature twins shortly before her death had the flu, according to the Toledo-Lucas County Department of Health.
The Ohio Department of Health had conflicting test results concerning Mandy Kimbler, who died Nov. 5 at Toledo Hospital of what is presumed to be complications from H1N1.
The CDC will do further study, said Larry Vasko, deputy health commissioner at the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department.
Mrs. Kimbler, who also had a 3-year-old daughter, delivered twins 11 weeks early by Cesarean section on Oct. 26 after she was put into a coma for treatment for breathing problems, relatives said. Two rapid-response tests for H1N1 while Mrs. Kimbler was in the hospital were negative, they said.
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