HEALTH: State, county officials haven't confirmed virus as cause of death
BY JERRY DAVICH
jdavich@nwitimes.com
219.933.3376
This story ran on nwitimes.com on Wednesday, November 16, 2005 1:54 AM CST
A local grandmother of six has died from complications related to West Nile virus, according to her family. But state and local health officials say they know nothing about her virus-related death.
Delores Hughes, a spry 76-year-old Griffith widow who worked 20 hours a week and drove herself to teach Sunday school, died Nov. 1 after weeks of battling the virus, said Elizabeth Davids, of Valparaiso, one of Hughes' four children.
"Doctors say that my mother got bit by a mosquito sometime around Labor Day," she said. "We'll never know where or how, but she lived near an open ditch so maybe it had stagnant water and mosquitoes."
The Indiana State Department of Health, however, has not reported Hughes' virus-related death. Since a Hammond resident died from the virus in late September, "we have received no such notification of any other (West Nile-related) deaths," Indiana State Department of Health spokesman Andy Zirkle said.
Nick Doffin, administrator for the Lake County Health Department, said his office also has heard nothing of a new West Nile-related death. Currently, there have been 22 confirmed human cases of West Nile virus reported in Indiana, including 10 in Lake County.
The Hammond death was Indiana's first -- and officially only -- fatality from the virus, according to state health department data.
"If a person dies who has previously been diagnosed as having West Nile virus, we would be provided with death certificate information to verify that," Zirkle said.
Robert Acevez, funeral director at Calumet Park Funeral Chapel in Merrillville, confirmed that Hughes did indeed die from West Nile virus. Hughes' attending physician and her death certificate both stated this, though in medical terms, Acevez said.
"Her body was flagged as contaminated when it got here, for special care," Acevez said.
Dr. Fred Adler, of Munster, completed the cause of death on Hughes' death certificate but did not return a phone call Tuesday for comment.
Hughes' family said doctors at The Community Hospital in Munster told them that her mother contracted West Nile after several tests were performed. But the reporting process of Hughes' death from West Nile left the family wondering how many other deaths were caused by West Nile but were not reported.
"The whole process of treatment and reporting her death was terribly disappointing," said son Bob Hughes, of Portage. "Obviously, there must be other West Nile deaths in Indiana that go unreported."
Community Hospital spokeswoman Mylinda Cane said she cannot comment on West Nile cases.
"The Indiana State Department of Health has set forth specific regulations for reporting of dangerous communicable diseases," she said.
Hughes' children said their mother suffered through West Nile-related encephalitis and meningitis, as well as a 104.7-degree fever, stiff limbs and convulsions before dying of full cardiac arrest.
Hughes was admitted to the hospital Sept. 14 after becoming ill with flulike symptoms, dehydration and severe tiredness, her family said. By the next day, she was placed in the intensive care unit, where she later fell into a comalike sleep for a few weeks.
Up until her hospital admittance, Hughes enjoyed water aerobics, teaching Sunday school and working 20 hours a week cleaning offices, her family and friends said.
"She was in great health, keeping up with things that I probably couldn't do," Davids said.
Clara Browning, of Munster, said Hughes missed one of her weekly meetings for TOPS, Taking Off Pounds Sensibly, and her group became worried. Browning described Hughes as a kind, generous person who, even at 76, was full of life and vibrancy.
"To think that a tiny mosquito killed such a wonderful human being," she said.
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