ST. LOUIS (AP) — The swine flu has killed about 10,000 people around the country, but just 11 in Missouri.
A state official told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in Thursday’s edition that Missouri has been “incredibly lucky.”
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services spokesman Kit Wagar says the flu season in Missouri has been milder than in many other states.
The Post-Dispatch noted that reporting for swine flu deaths varies greatly from state to state. Some states, including Kansas, have so far issued news releases each time there is a swine flu death.
But as far as Missouri is concerned, Wagar says swine flu deaths are tragic but not necessarily newsworthy. Missouri put out news releases following the first two swine flu deaths, but no longer does so.
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