Mysterious Illness in Texas Kills 4

Dec. 18, 2013 — -- A mysterious illness has Texas health officials worried after half of those infected died from the unidentified disease.

The Montgomery County Health Department said eight patients had presented with flu-like symptoms or pneumonia-like symptoms. Of the eight infected, four have died. Despite their symptoms, none have yet tested positive for the flu, officials said in a statement Tuesday.

However, the early rapid flu test does not test for all different flu strains and a state official said flu could not be fully ruled out yet.

Officials at the Conroe Regional Medical Center in Conroe, Texas, said that more definitive test results were still pending.

The patients range in age from 41 to 68 and it was unclear if any had underlying health issues that could have adversely affected their health.

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