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California detective died from the coronavirus after twice being denied test for virus: report

Mon, 13 Apr 2020 09:19:48 -0400

A California detective died from coronavirus complications after doctors twice refused to test her for the virus, according to a report Sunday.

When Santa Rosa Det. Marylou Armer, 43, was finally tested March 23, the test came back positive, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reports.

But by then “it was too late already,” sister Mari Lau told the paper.

Lau told the paper that a doctor at Kaiser Permanente’s Vallejo Medical Center told her sister that because of her age and lack of underlying medical conditions she was not considered vulnerable to the virus.

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The test was finally administered when her husband took her to the hospital, the paper reported. In the emergency room, she was quickly sedated and intubated in an effort to boost the dangerously low levels of oxygen in her bloodstream.

After the test came back positive, Armer was placed in a medically induced coma in the hopes that her condition would improve, according to the paper. But she never woke up and died March 31.

Lau told the paper her sister’s inability to be tested was “very frustrating.” At the time, medical providers across the United States were imploring the federal government to give them more testing kits to better track the spread of the virus.

Kaiser confirmed Saturday that Armer wasn’t immediately tested in a statement Saturday to the Press Democrat.

Her doctors had adhered to “public health authority testing guidelines, which have been based on a very limited availability of tests,” Dr. David Witt, Kaiser’s national infectious disease expert, said, according to the paper.

“We offer heartfelt sympathies to Detective Armer’s family and loved ones at this profoundly difficult time,” Witt said.

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Armer first thought she had the flu, her sister told the paper.

Days later, her fever and body aches subsided a little, but she still had some trouble breathing.

“She said she’d never felt this kind of sickness in her body before,” Lau said.

Armer was the first California peace officer to die from the coronavirus.

Lau said her sister loved being a police officer.

“She really loved helping her community,” Lau said. “She just loved her job. She wanted to help anyone and everyone she could.”

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Tom Dempsey, legendary NFL kicker, dead after coronavirus bout at age 73

Sun, 05 Apr 2020 13:54:28 -0400

Tom Dempsey, a retired NFL kicker long known for a 63-yard field goal he kicked in 1970, died Saturday night in Louisiana after a bout with coronavirus, according to reports. He was 73.

Dempsey contracted the virus in March while a resident of the Lambeth House retirement home in New Orleans, where at least 15 patients have died after being stricken with the virus, NOLA.com reported.

As of early Sunday, Louisiana had more than 12,400 confirmed cases of the virus, ranking No. 5 among U.S. states. The New Orleans area has recorded 153 deaths.

Dempsey, who was born without toes on his right foot and without fingers on his right hand, wore a specially made shoe during his NFL career.

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His history-making kick for the New Orleans Saints against the Detroit Lions broke the previous NFL record by seven yards. It has since been matched by five kickers – and broken only by Matt Prater of the Denver Broncos, who kicked a 64-yarder in 2013.

At the time, Dempsey’s kick helped gain publicity for the Saints, who were then an expansion club playing in only their fourth season.

Dempsey played two seasons for the team, moving on to play for the Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, Houston Oilers and Buffalo Bills in an 11-year professional career.

Born in Milwaukee, Dempsey grew up in California and played college football at Palomar College near San Diego. He signed with the Saints as an undrafted player in 1969.

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After retiring from football, Dempsey and his family returned to New Orleans, where he worked as an oilfield salesman, a high school football coach and a car-dealership manager, NOLA.com reported.

In 2012, he disclosed he was battling dementia, the news outlet reported.

Dempsey is survived by a wife, three children, a sister and three grandchildren, NOLA.com reported.

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Flagler County officials: Well-known hairstylist dies after contracting coronavirus

Thu, 02 Apr 2020 23:09:23 -0400

Flagler County officials say a well-known hair stylist has died after contracting the coronavirus.

People who knew Dorothy Strickland describe her as vibrant and energetic.

“Just yesterday I got the phone call that she had passed,” said Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins. “When I heard that, it really just raised the level of how serious this is.”

Mullins says Strickland was one of the first people he met when he moved into town in 2007.

“I was going around the area, went around the beach, stopped and got my hair cut and Dorothy actually did it. From talking to her, she taught me a lot of about Flagler Beach and a lot about the county. It was just really refreshing meeting her,” he recalled.

On her Facebook page, one friend wrote: “What a special lady, I’m so sad.”

“This hit very hard. I did not want to lose anyone,” Mullins said.

State officials say there have been 25 coronavirus cases so far in Flagler County. Mullins says Strickland is the first reported local fatality.

“I really want to reach out to all the constituents and people in the county and say listen to this – be very serious – this is like walking out as the eye of the hurricane approaches,” he said.

Mullins tells FOX 35 Strickland was in her early 70s and had a respiratory condition.