FLU ALERT

from the Health and Wellness and the Disaster Preparedness Task Forces of Presbytery:

As of Nov 4, 2009: Health officials say that here in the U.S. an estimated 1,000 people have died from the H1N1 virus with roughly one million infected. Most of those cases have been tracked since September, the onset of the flu season here. 

Throughout the world people everywhere are trying to protect themselves against the swine flu.  From Europe to Asia to the Middle East, the 2009 H1N1 virus is spreading.  The World Health Organization reports that the virus has killed close to 6,000 people worldwide.

Authorities note that the swine flu appears to act quite differently than the seasonal flu.  Young people with swine flu tend to get sicker than older adults, the opposite of what happens with seasonal flu.  Symptoms of the swine flu are very much like that of any flu: coughing, sneezing, stuffy or runny noses, headache, body aches, fever, sore throat, fatigue, chills, and in some cases vomiting and diarrhea.

“Despite reports that elderly persons may be 'protected' by pre-existing immunity, clinicians should closely monitor and promptly treat hospitalized patients with pandemic 2009 influenza A H1N1 infection," researchers wrote.

Still, similar to statistics collected by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, data in California show H1N1 is hitting young people harder than what's typically seen for seasonal flu. The median age of hospitalized patients in California was 27.

Of the 1,088 hospitalization and death reports in California, 118 were deaths, which translates into fatality rate of 11%, researchers said.

For people age 50 and older, the fatality rate was as high as 20%. Eight of the 118 deaths were reported in children younger than age 18, while 110 were in people age 18 and older. The most common causes of death were viral pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome, which are complications of influenza.   So don’t be misled by thinking that the elderly are not as much at risk as has been suggested earlier.

Q: How can families protect themselves from Influenza A H1N1?
A: Like all viruses, the best way to help prevent infection and protect your family is to follow proper hygiene routines. The following routines are recommended by the CDC:

Q: Where can families go for more information?

© 2009 The Presbytery of San José