DES MOINES - A Johnson County resident and an adult in Floyd County are the two latest victims of H1N1 flu in Iowa, bringing the state’s death toll to 21.

The Iowa Department of Public Health reported the two additional cases Wednesday morning.

Both adults had risk factors that increased the chance of complications from the H1N1 virus.

The department noted that more than 600 people have been hospitalized with influenza-like illness since September 1.

To date, H1N1-related hospitalizations have occurred in the following age groups of Iowans:
- 5 to 18 years of age (24 percent)
- 25 to 49 years of age (22 percent)
- 50 to 64 years of age (15 percent)
- 1 to 4 years of age (15 percent)
- Younger than 12 months of age (9 percent)
- Greater than 64 years of age (8 percent)
- 18 to 24 years of age (7 percent)

One percent of hospitalized women were pregnant.

Of those Iowans hospitalized, the most common underlying medical conditions that increased the risk of complications from the H1N1 virus were:
- immune-compromised conditions, such as cancer
- respiratory conditions, such as asthma
- neuromuscular conditions.

More than 50 percent of those hospitalized were overweight or obese, which may be associated with medical conditions, such as diabetes, which increase the chance of complications from H1N1.

Occurrence of H1N1 deaths in Iowa mirror the state’s population, with age groups and all major racial and ethnic groups affected.

- Nearly half (11) of the deaths have occurred in adults ages 25 to 49
- Five deaths were in the 50 to 64 age range
- Three deaths were adults ages 18 to 24
- There was one death each in children ages 0 to 18
- There was one death in adults greater than age 64.

Two of the H1N1 fatalities had no known underlying risk factors from medical complications. The most common risk factors that occurred in the Iowans who died were:
- pulmonary/respiratory conditions
- immune-compromised conditions, including cancer
- neuromuscular conditions
- diabetes and renal (kidney) disease
- About half of the fatalities were obese or morbidly obese.

Obesity by itself is not identified as a risk factor; however, those who are obese, and especially those who are morbidly obese, often have underlying conditions that may put them at higher risk of complications.

For more information about influenza surveillance in Iowa, visit www.idph.state.ia.us/adper/iisn.asp.

A public hotline for those with questions about influenza is available 24/7 at 1-800-447-1985.