RICHMOND
State health officials are asking college and university presidents to warn students about swine flu after two cases were confirmed in Virginia.
Health Commissioner Karen Remley says the state is asking the schools to review their plans for responding to outbreaks and to make sure students know how to prevent the flu and recognize if they have it.
Neither of the confirmed cases is a student. But tonight, the Virginia Department of Health reported that they have two probable cases of swine flu at Washington and Lee University in Lexington. Both students had mild illnesses, but were treated early and are recovering.
The two students had not traveled out of the country, the news release said, but both had recently visited other states. None of those states has confirmed cases.
Because young adults travel more and tend to be more social, officials wanted to make sure they are aware of the disease.
Officials say a man in the Three Rivers health district, which covers the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck, and a woman in the Chesterfield district had mild cases of swine flu. Both of the infected individuals had traveled to Mexico.
At a press conference Friday, health officials said the confirmed cases are not connected to any Virginia schools, but noted they have been in contact with educational institutions as they continue to respond to the discovery of the potentially deadly strain of influenza in Virginia.
“What I am doing is working with our Secretary of Education to reach out to all the colleges and universities and schools in the system,” Remley said. “We are working to provide the most up to date guidance and to ensure their leadership as these schools as these schools need to make decisions about the welfare of their student bodies.”
Decisions to shutter schools in the event of a confirmed outbreak would be made by local and state school officials in consultation with state health experts, explained Charles Pyle, spokesman for the state Education Department.
The latest recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is that schools be closed for a minimum of 14 days if a confirmed case of swine flu is identified and that all school-related activities be temporarily suspended.
At this point, state health officials have only confirmed two cases. They did not offer specifics when asked earlier if there are additional suspected cases of swine flu in Virginia that have not yet been confirmed.
Swine flu is a respiratory illness found among pigs.
Dr. Diane Helentjaris, Virginia’s acting epidemiologist, said the current strain has not been seen before in animals or humans.
Virginia is one of 19 states in which a combined 141 swine flu cases have been confirmed. There has been one recorded swine flu death during the current outbreak.
Virginia declared a state health emergency Monday to coordinate its response and to receive additional antiviral medication kits from the CDC.
Officials continue to urge individuals to take common sense steps to avoid illness, such as frequent hand washing. People who think they may be ill are advised to avoid contact with other to reduce the potential for spreading sickness and to seek medical care.
On Thursday, North Carolina’s state health director said there were two probable cases of swine flu there. Dr. Jeffrey Engel said the probable cases came from Onslow and Wake counties. Specimens from those cases have been sent to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which could confirm the cases in the coming days.
“We’re in for a marathon here,” Engel said.
More cases are likely to be found in Virginia, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said Thursday. “We don’t know how many. We don’t know over what period of time that may manifest itself. But as we’ve looked at what’s happening in Virginia and in other states as well, we would expect that,” Kaine said.
Virginian-Pilot staff writer Lauren King and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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the wow factor
OMG...I cannot believe the steps the media is taking to instill Oh My God fear into every US citizen about this very small issue. I'm all about informing, but come on people of all media outlets. You guys are making this out to be the pandemic event certain sources have been warning against. 250 cases in the entire WORLD????? Talk about a grain of sand on the beach?????
The fatalities of the
The fatalities of the Spanish flu of 1918 also skewed towards young and healthy people. Supposition is that their stronger immunes systems over reacted and that contributed to the deaths. Some of you below try to tie this to universal healthcare. What lovely people you are capitalizing on tragedy to score cheap political points. I hope this outbreak is mild enough that you don't have to be disillusioned. Not for your sake--your irrational protestations are irrelevent and childish, but for those who may fall ill.
orion
THe WHO scale is available via a brief google search. If you are really interested in pandemics and how they are predicted and tracked you would have looked it up. The answers you seek are there.
But you did not so I don't think you are interested at all. This is just more blame Obama talk. It's pathetic and deluded really, and would be dangerous if I thought anyone was taking heed of the radical right these days.
When predicting the spread of influenze health professionals don't have a crystal ball. They have past experience and knowledge about how influenza spreads. It is as if you can not understand the most basic concepts. More likely you chose not to understand for the purpose of winning debate points. Here. You can have all the points. They don't make you less wrong.
Is Swine Flu becoming Hogwash?
Sounds like this "WORLDWIDE EPIDEMIC" is not spread by handshakes and sneezing but by Media sensationalism. Wouldn't be the first time.
Flu shots
My doctor reminded me that flu shots only last for a few months at best and only for whatever type of flu the vaccine is made for originally. Those that got the shots back in the 70's aren't protected at all. The shots have only a short duration in your body, not long term. And don't forget: the flu can mutate over time, making the shots completely useless.
WAY over blown
People are blowing this entire thing WAY out of proportion. First of all, it is a very mild version of the flu that, at this point, doesn't threaten lives. Second, the numbers in proportion to the overall population are quite low and third, it's not spreading like wildfire at all. If one looks at what is called the Spanish Influenza of 1918 - which has actually been tracked down to a military base in Missouri - it did spread rather quickly and started killing people right off the bat. There was no mild form of it at all. This situation is being blown way out of proportion to reality by the media.
Wallace08 is my hero..
Now I have to find a good deal on pork chops, like you did! Why didn't you invite me over??
BTW
It's the flu for christsakes? There are various types of influenza. Type a is the most infectious, AND the most debilitating. I had it a few years back and it laid me out for 10 days. Between the shivers, the sweats, the throwing up, my doctor almost hospitalized me to hook up fluids to me intraveneously.
Some flues are over in 1-2 days, some are extremely serious.
Maybe YOU should do a little more checking up before being so flippant.
Some strains of the flu are MUCH more serious than others. Some people who get THIS particular strain my need to placed on breathing support.
I just noticed
Their is no mention of this on their website. Surpise, Surprise.
This doesn't even exist
This doesn't even exist. Or if it does is not as big a threat as the media has made it to be. The point of this scare is to deter people away from whats really going on. Anybody read the article today about the senate voting down the bill that would of allowed americans to renegotiate their mortgages. If not I suggest you do. Get of the Dems tip and realize that the banks own your goverment. Thats why they are recieving so much bail out money and are still making the rules. I thought since they recieved tax dollars we owned them. Well I didn't really think that. Personally I am glad the bill wasn't passed however I imagine many of the Obama supporters were expecting something like this to pass through. Oh well whats another homeless family. Its the golden rule: He who has the gold makes the rules.
jane gallardo
I would get a new Doctor. If his/her receptionist is so unprofessional, perhaps the rest of staf is also. May be interesting to let the Dr know why you are getting a new doctor and recommending that others do as well. If we as patients are going to be dealt with in such a cavalier manner, we should assert our rights to pick up our health folder and deliver to our new Dr.
re: Orion, wrong definition
From Merriam-Webster online...for your convenience:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pandemic
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epidemic
FletcherPratt wrote:
>>>Because the intent is to be predictive, the WHO uses a definition and a scale based on method and range of transmission, not number of infected.<<<
Based on what numbers? Based on the last pandemic? Your explanation is utter dog-squeeze. You cannot tell me, based on a predictability formula, that the WHO has put the ENTIRE planet on a Level 5 when out of 6.5 billion only 331 have the virus? Why don't they do this every time flu season starts? 15 – 60 million people get the flu in the US alone every year and they pull the trigger on 141 victims of this “boogey-man” virus in the US so far?
I don’t think anyone is screaming conspiracy [yet], but I sure am screaming GULLIBLE!
Dr. barrack and Dr. hillary
Has anyone ever thought that this H1Ni "pandemic" could just coincidentally be Dr. barrack and Dr. hillary's way of selling universal health care to the masses? Remember, only the government can save us. we can't wash our hands without government intervention.
who's response on travel
No rationale for travel restrictions
1 May 2009 -- WHO is not recommending travel restrictions related to the outbreak of the influenza A(H1N1) virus. Today, international travel moves rapidly, with large numbers of individuals visiting various parts of the world. Limiting travel and imposing travel restrictions would have very little effect on stopping the virus from spreading, but would be highly disruptive to the global community.
Influenza A(H1N1) has already been confirmed in many parts of the world. The focus now is on minimizing the impact of the virus through the rapid identification of cases and providing patients with appropriate medical care, rather than on stopping its spread internationally. Furthermore, although identifying the signs and symptoms of influenza in travellers can be an effective monitoring technique, it is not effective in reducing the spread of influenza as the virus can be transmitted from person to person before the onset of symptoms. Scientific research based on mathematical modelling indicates that restricting travel will be of limited or no benefit in stopping the spread of disease. Historical records of previous influenza pandemics, as well a
The difference is that nobody's been vaccinated
Why be scared? Because 35,000 people die each year WHEN WE HAVE A VACCINE. At this point, there is no vaccine. So worry. 'Cause if 35,000 die each year with a shot, how many could die without a shot?
Calling Dr. Moe, Dr. Larry, Dr. Curly . . .
Question: Why is it that there have been so many deaths in Mexico and relatively few elsewhere that the illness formerly known as the Swine Flu has been found?
Answer: The Mexicans have GOVERNMENT (Universal) Health care!
So watch out for Dr. Barrack & Dr. Hillary - they could be hazardous to your health!!!
One
reason the severity is less here is that most Americans receive flu shots and the vaccine that is used contains elements that are effective against the H1 portion of this flu virus. Additionally some of us are old enough to have received vaccination in the 70s against the swine flu outbreak at that time.
How is your son, Jane?
I hope he is feeling better today.
The sky is falling
Come on people, over 30,000 people in the US died last year from the "regular flu". What we have here is no worse so far - and the people in the US with the swine flu seem not to be doing too bad. It's way to early to panic. There are so many news outlets they need some crisis to talk about AND it takes our mind off the other REAL crisis - the economy.
By the way, Obama was dead wrong when he said closing the border would not help now since the virus is already in the US. Why would he want to add more new clusters of infection from people crossing the border? It's simple mathmatics. Either he is a liar or just plain stupid.
Mexican hogs
Smithfield Foods says that it does not import any hogs from its operations in Veracruz, Mexico into the United States. I remember an article in The Virginian Pilot, published about 5 weeks ago, in which it was reported that Smithfield just then announced that it was halting imports of hogs into the United States.
The May 1, 2009 dailypress.com website states that (r)eporter Veronica Chufo states that Smithfield Foods says it does not bring hogs from Veracruz into the United States.
The Virginian should report on when and why Smithfield Foods stopped shipments of hogs from Mexico into the United States. The Pilot should also find out where Smithfield does ship hogs from Mexico. With 16 hog farms in Mexico, Smithfield probably exports hogs someplace.