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CNN Live Sunday

Woman Dies From Bacterial Pneumonia; Seven Others Hospitalized

Aired February 10, 2002 - 18:11   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: In Cherry Hill, New Jersey, one woman is dead and seven others have been hospitalized after showing flu-like symptoms. Health officials say -- are saying that they believe the woman died from bacterial pneumonia and they also identified the 45-year-old victim as Joanne Hemstreet of Kingston, Massachusetts. She was one of 500 people attending a convention at Cherry Hill Hilton.

And now, for more on the potential implications of the problem if this illness is really bacterial pneumonia or something else, let's turn to CNN medical correspondent Rhonda Rowland who's joining us now. Very scary, Rhonda. The symptoms moved so quickly.

RHONDA ROWLAND, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, they did in her case. Apparently, she did start complaining of symptoms on Wednesday, but yesterday, her symptoms became much more severe. And over a matter of hours, she developed fever, a stick neck, nausea, went into the hospital and then died over night. So this did come on very quickly and the doctors are saying they're 80 percent sure that it is this aggressive bacterial pneumonia.

CALLAWAY: I guess just for safety precautions, they had to put all of these other people on antibiotics, is that right?

ROWLAND: That's what we understand. Apparently, there were seven other people where they found some other respiratory problems. And in addition to those individuals, who were in the hospital, they had given prophylactic antibiotics to about 80 other people, including emergency workers. And apparently, they had given the antibiotic, Cipro, which you know, that we heard about with anthrax...

CALLAWAY: Right.

ROWLAND: ... and that's a very powerful antibiotic that they give in some cases when they don't know exactly what they're dealing with.

CALLAWAY: When you hear something that progressive that quickly, you can't help but think of anthrax though.

ROWLAND: You can't help but think of it because those symptoms too come on very quickly, but also, in the case of this bacterial pneumonia, as well as meningitis, in some healthy people, the symptoms can progress very quickly and be deadly in about 10 to 15 percent of cases.

But obviously, Catherine, we know that health experts, doctors are on very heightened alert. We saw in the video there were -- the HAZMAT personnel coming to the hotel. So they're being very cautious and so, they're probably doing a number of tests to figure out exactly what is going on and to be cautious, giving everyone antibiotics.

CALLAWAY: How long will it take for the results of these tests?

ROWLAND: Well, the tests to confirm that she definitely has this kind of pneumonia should be out by tomorrow. So we should get those answers fairly quickly. And also, it's important to know that with this pneumonia, meningitis, it is spread person-to-person, droplets through the air. So that's why anyone she came in contact with, they would think it prudent to give the antibiotics.

CALLAWAY: All right, Rhonda Rowland, thank you for keeping us up-to-date on the story. And I'm sure you'll be back with us for more on this. Thanks Rhonda.

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