Swine Flu Might Have Killed Bay Area First-Grader

Test results expected Wednesday

Stuffed animals, balloons and ribbons greet Browns Elementary students as they head into the in Vacaville school but it's not a festive occasion.

The colorful display is in memory of a first-grader who died over the weekend, possibly as a result of swine flu.

Alexis is being remembered as a vibrant and athletic girl who loved to play soccer.

"When you think about the life and energy and vitality of a six or seven year old," superintendent John Aycock said, "and you lose that it's a tragic event."

Alexis was taken to Vacavalley Hospital Sunday night but she never made it back home. The Solano County coroner is investigating whether the girl's death is related to the H1N1 virus. Results are due Wednesday.

The H1N1 strain is hitting children hard, medical experts say. Nearly 80 children under age 18 have died as a result of the illness this year, the Washington Post reported. Most of those children had underlying health issues that made them vulnerable to the illness, but up to 30 percent of those children were otherwise healthy.

At least 3,870 Americans have died from the H1N1 virus since it started hitting.

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