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Majority of flu is H1N1
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By ELISA SAND, Staff Reporter
| 10/16/2009 |
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Flu cases continue to increase in the Madison area, and state and local officials are saying this first wave of occurrences is predominantly the H1N1 virus. Madison Physician's Assistant Jeanne Rud said the majority of patients at the Interlakes Medical Center have been individuals with flu symptoms. While her patients have been of all ages, she said, more have been middle school and high school-age students.
Symptoms for H1N1 and the seasonal flu are similar and include fever, muscle aches, chills, cough, sore throat and a stuffy nose.
Rud said that although there have been several visits to the clinic, unless there is a hospitalization, no test is done to confirm the H1N1 virus and doctors are under strict guidelines not to prescribe antiviral medications. Those, she said, are being given only to persons who have been hospitalized.
"We're seeing resistance, so we don't want overtreatment," Rud said. "We're under strict guidelines."
The typical flu cycle is 7-10 days, with the first 3-5 days being the worst, Rud said, and it typically hits suddenly.
"The difference with this and traditional influenza is they are encouraging people to stay home more and not visit people who are sick," she said.
Medical attention is recommended for both children and patients if they are experiencing trouble breathing or shortness of breath.
Children who are not receiving sufficient fluids, experiencing severe or persistent vomiting, or have symptoms improve and then worsen should also seek medical attention.
Adults who experience dizziness, confusion, chest pain, severe vomiting, or improvement and then return of symptoms should seek medical attention.
According to the most recent flu surveillance information from the South Dakota Department of Health, influenza activity for the week ending Oct. 10 was categorized as widespread with most confirmed cases being H1N1 and Influenza A. To date, there is one confirmed case of Influenza B in South Dakota.
Official state reports show there have been 495 confirmed cases of H1N1 with 135 of those cases in Minnehaha County and 59 in Pennington County.
Of those confirmed flu cases, the DOH reports also that 75 percent are individuals age 19 or younger, and that same age bracket represents 47 percent of the hospitalizations.
Miner County has one official case of H1N1 and Moody County has 12. No official cases have been reported in Lake County, but both Madison and Chester school districts are seeing higher than usual absenteeism this week; most of the Madison absences are being attributed to flu-like symptoms.
Dakota State University President Doug Knowlton indicated that he is not aware if there is an abnormally high absentee rate on campus, but said that there have been no confirmed cases of H1N1.
Madison Community Hospital Administrator Tammy Miller would not confirm if there had been any H1N1-related hospitalizations, but she said there haven't been a lot of flu-related admissions.
At this time, precautions are in place to prevent further infection, Miller said, and visitors are asked not to come into the hospital if they are sick. Those who aren't feeling well are asked to stay home and take care of themselves, Miller said.
Officials in the Madison Central School District are advising parents to keep their children home if they are showing flu-like symptoms and are advising that doctor's notes are not being required to excuse medical absences. This is being done in an effort to prevent unnecessarily exposing others to the flu.
Statewide school absences averaged six percent last week, with that average reaching 10 percent just in schools in western South Dakota.
According to the DOH, flu activity is widespread in 37 states and influenza-like illnesses, hospitalizations and flu-related deaths are all higher than expected for this time of the year.
Historical trends for the past five years show flu cases in South Dakota are minimal until November and typically peak from January to March. This year, cases were already detected in August and have continued to increase ever since.
Because this first wave of flu cases is predominantly H1N1, Rud said, there will probably be another round of the flu later in the winter.
Vaccines for H1N1 are anticipated in early November.
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©Madison Daily Leader 2009
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