Print this story |
E-mail story |
iPod friendly | Bookmark this
What is this?
Swine flu confirmed in Pelican Rapids; probable case in NYM
Published 07:53 a.m., September 17, 2009
By Lisa Kaczke
Daily Journal
Swine flu is expected to cause a worse-than-normal flu season, although only a small fraction of the number of swine flu cases will be reported.
Otter Tail County Public Health Director Diane Thorson is calling for people who are experiencing flu-like symptoms to stay home from work and school to avoid the spread of swine flu.
Swine flu is expected to hit young people the most, rather than people older than 65, who typically are the hardest hit group for the seasonal flu. The severest cases and deaths are occurring in people under the age of 24, sparking the concern among health professionals about the swine flu, Thorson said.
“This is going to be a horrendous flu season,” Thorson said.
Due to cases of swine flu being widespread, county health departments were directed by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) in June to discontinue keeping track of the number of cases in their individual counties, Thorson said.
There is no requirement for county public health departments to be notified when a case of swine flu is present in the county, said Doug Schultz, of MDH. The reasoning is that there isn’t a way for the departments to know a total number of cases because the cases are reported to the state by medical facilities, hospitals and schools.
Currently, only cases of people who are hospitalized with complications from the swine flu are being reported to the state by medical facilities, Schultz said.
MDH is keeping track of swine flu cases regionally so a specific number of cases in Otter Tail County isn’t known. In the west central region of Minnesota, which includes Otter Tail County, there has been one confirmed case of swine flu as of Sept. 15, Schultz said. He noted that only a small fraction of people with swine flu will be hospitalized so there could be more in the community than what is being reported, Schultz said.
Schools are also required to report to MDH if the school meets one of two numbers — 5 percent of its population is absent or three or more elementary students in one class are absent, Thorson said.
A Daily Journal survey of Otter Tail County schools revealed two potential cases of Swine Flu among county school children.
One probable case of the swine flu was reported to the county by the New York Mills School District, according to Superintendent Todd Cameron.
A parent of an elementary student had called the district to report the probable case of swine flu, According to Cameron. The case was reported Thursday, Sept. 10 to Otter Tail County’s Public Health Department.
One Pelican Rapids student was confirmed as having the swine flu, said Superintendent Deb Wanek. The Pelican Rapids School District was notified Wednesday of the case. The student had reportedly been sick over the weekend and had been confirmed by physicians as having swine flu.
Letters were sent to parents informing them of the situation and providing information on symptoms and prevention methods.
Other districts in the county acknowledged students out with flu-like symptoms, but have not had any confirmed cases of swine flu.
To slow the spread of swine flu, Thorson is asking residents to take preventative measures.
People should be washing their hands and covering their coughs. If they have a fever of 100 degrees, they should stay home, Thorson said. A person who has a fever and cough or sore throat likely has the flu. They need to be without a fever for 24 hours before returning to work or school, she said. It’ll take about five to seven days before the person is completely over it, she said.
The county’s health care providers are also asking only those with severe symptoms of the flu to visit the area’s medical facilities for flu testing. The screening isn’t effective for determining if the person has swine flu, Thorson said. If the person is ill enough to be hospitalized, the medical facilities will complete the test and send it to the state for analysis.
Otter Tail County is expecting to receive 14,000 doses of the swine flu vaccine and officials will be targeting young people most at risk with flu-shot clinics throughout the county in October and November.
The county’s private medical facilities aren’t receiving doses of the swine flu vaccine and don’t want to administer the shots to the public, Thorson said. Private health professionals believe the area’s clinics will be challenged enough caring for people who are already sick, she said.
Seven out of the eight school districts in the county have agreed to hold swine flu clinics to reach the children most at risk, according to Thorson. They will begin giving the shots in the buildings with the youngest students, who are the most at risk for contracting the swine flu.
Also a top priority are pregnant women or people who care for babies younger than six months old, including immediate family and day care providers. Children under six months old can’t receive swine flu shots.
The second priority group is children aged six months to four years old, Thorson said.
Trisha Marczak contributed to this report.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY?
