US trucker dies of ‘swine flu’

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Landstar System over-the-road driver from Beaverton, Ore., died last week after becoming ill with the H1N1 strain of flu, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Derrick Keel, 45, experienced fever, shortness of breath and a non-productive cough, when he admitted himself into the hospital in Madison County, Ill., last Sunday. His condition worsened, despite treatment, and he died in the hospital’s intensive care unit last week.

He had driven through several states prior to being hospitalized, according to the newspaper.

The news came within days of new guidelines from the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security concerning the H1N1 flu, also commonly referred to "swine flu." The guidelines are designed to help employers identify actions and institute policies that will reduce absenteeism, control the spread of disease and allow for business continuity in the case of a pandemic outbreak.

Health Canada has similar online resources, found here.

For an exclusive Today’s Trucking feature detailing H1N1 pandemic preparedness in the Canadian trucking industry, click here, and jump to pg 8 on the web-based pdf.