Summary
Another person has died in the wine-country town of McMinnville from the swine flu. On Nov. 2, a 44-year-old man succumbed to the H1N1 virus. Now, it's a 49-year-old woman and mother of three.
Story Published: Nov 17, 2009 at 3:59 PM PST
Story Updated: Nov 17, 2009 at 6:40 PM PST
KATU's continuing coverage on "swine flu" H1N1 news in Oregon and Southwest Washington.
MCMINNVILLE, Ore. - Another person has died in the wine-country-town of McMinnville from the swine flu.
On Nov. 2, a 44-year-old man succumbed to the H1N1 virus. Now, it's a 49-year-old woman and mother of three.
Lavon Hefferon left work on a Friday telling her co-workers she felt ill. Less than a week later, she was dead.
Doctors say the virus is especially deadly when people have "underlying health problems." Hefferon had high blood pressure, type-2 diabetes and sleep apnea.
Family members said that they tried to get Hefferon, a mother of three, to go to the doctor, but she really thought she would pull through. They said she thought she had the regular flu and could fight it.
Hefferon died at home. Lab tests later revealed she had the H1N1 virus, known as swine flu.
Forty people in Oregon now have died of the swine flu to date, according to Centers for Disease Control statistics.
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