Baby dies of swine flu complications at Spokane hospital

A 5-month-old baby from Franklin County died at Sacred Heart Medical Center Monday of complications from H1N1 influenza. It’s the state’s first pediatric death of the current flu season and the first death of a Franklin County resident attributed to H1N1, or swine flu, since the outbreak began last spring, according to a news release from the Benton-Franklin Health District. Gov. Chris Gregoire said in the release, “The last thing we want to hear about is the death of any of our residents, but it is especially hard when it is a child.” The Benton-Franklin Health District has a “very limited” supply of H1N1 vaccine, which it is distributing to health care providers there, the release said.