The H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, has come closer to home, with a confirmed case in Kiowa County.
This is a good time to remind people that seeking medical attention and staying home when they’re sick, and good hygiene habits are the best way to halt the spread, Maggie Thompson, director of communications for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said.
There is no “crystal ball” about how the virus will spread, but state and county health departments are “doing their best to stop it,” she said.
When an individual visits a physician or other health provider with flu symptoms, a nasal swab is taken and sent to state laboratories. If the test is positive for H1N1 (the preferred term), the physician or county health department is notified.
The person with the flu will then be asked to voluntarily quarantine himself. There are no mandates for quarantine.
Most cases, especially in Kansas, have been relatively mild, but some have been severe enough to require hospitalization, Thompson said. Some deaths have occurred in the United States.
As many as 1 million Americans may have been affected, the Associated Press reported Friday, although only about 28,000 cases have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The U.S. has roughly half the world’s flu cases. Regular seasonal flu sickens between 15 million to 60 million Americans each year.
The concern is that the virus could change, and “all signs point to ramping up in the fall,”
according to Thompson. Also, because it is a new virus, no one has natural immunity, as some do for seasonal flu. The U.S. is looking at cases in Australia, where the fall flu season is already underway.
The CDC is working on a vaccine and hopes to have it ready by fall. There are antiviral medications that reduce the severity and length of symptoms.
It appears that cases have decreased in Kansas, Thompson said, although some larger communities where the flu has already been diagnosed are no longer testing. The number of confirmed cases, currently set at 119, is not really accurate, she noted.
Symptoms of H1N1 flu are similar to seasonal flu and include:
• Fever greater than 100 degrees
• Body aches
• Coughing
• Sore throat
• Respiratory congestion
• In some cases, diarrhea and vomiting
KDHE recommends the following steps to reduce spread:
• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue and properly dispose of used tissues.
• Stay healthy by eating a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water and getting adequate rest and exercise.
The virus began in swine, but is being transmitted by human-to-human contact. There is no danger from eating pork or pork products.
For information...
Kansans may call toll-free 1-877-427-7317 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday with questions about the virus. Information is also available at www.kdheks.gov or by e-mailing H1N1fluinfo@kdheks.gov.
