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By Mike Bodine
Register Staff
5-2-2009 Even though the swine flu has virtually cornered the media market lately, there are no reports of the swine flu in Inyo and Mono counties. But, according to health officials, it’s only a matter of time before the virus reaches the Eastern Sierra.
Reports as of Thursday, April 30, indicate that the cases in Mexico are not increasing as rapidly as in the last few days, which can be seen as a good sign.
The flu, now being called the H1N1 virus, is a threat as there is not yet a vaccine, but according to local officials, there is no reason for the public to panic. The virus can be treated like any common flu, but precautions should be taken.
Dr. Rick Johnson, the public health officer for both Inyo and Mono counties, is incredibly busy keeping up with the latest details of the H1N1 virus, and sending daily updates to area hospitals, health profession staff and schools, but had time to explain what the virus is and what people should do about it. Johnson explained that the flu is very much like seasonal flus, with “identical” symptoms including fever, sore throat, body aches and pains and even nausea, even though the virus is an upper respiratory infection. And, it should be treated as such, with rest, plenty of liquids and over-the-counter pain medications.
Like any common flu, “the symptoms peak out after 3-5 days and you usually start feeling better,” Johnson explained, but if the symptoms persist for more than 6-7 days, there could be possible complications and those infected should call a healthcare professional.
Johnson emphasized that if someone feels sick, they should stay home and avoid as much human-to-human contact as possible to avoid infecting others.
He does recommend that if people feel their symptoms are acute or “scary,” they should call their healthcare professional or doctor, but he does not recommend everyone who feels sick to rush to hospitals.
Andrew Stevens, Northern Inyo Hospital’s Emergency Room nurse manager, said NIH has seen a slight increase in ER patients with ILI, or Influenza-like Illness symptoms, but nothing dramatic.
The virus has not officially made its way to the Eastern Sierra, but Johnson said it is inevitable that the virus will soon make an appearance in the area. He said there are a few local cases that are suspect, but samples are being sent and results are pending. He added that one suspect case in Mono County has come back negative.
Neither Inyo nor Mono counties have laboratories capable of detecting the new strain, but the 23 labs in the state that can detect the virus have tripled their “search capacity” and the results are coming back quickly and accurately, according to Johnson.
Johnson explained it’s only a matter of time before the virus reaches local lungs.
“We are surrounded by confirmed cases,” Johnson said. “It’s in Washoe County, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. And, (U.S.) 395 is a major corridor from L.A. and Mexico to Nevada, so it’s inevitable that it will arrive here.”
There have been local reports of concern that those who visited Mexico during Spring Break may be infected.
The virus has an incubation period of seven days, Johnson said, meaning that those who may have gone to Mexico over Spring Break should be fine by now, unless of course they have persistent symptoms.
The virus has received a lot of media coverage, international and local.
There is a daily barrage of new cases being reported, and the outbreak is being used as a spring board for conservative radio shock-jocks to blame illegal immigration for this new plague that’s making its way to the U.S.
There are even reports of entire pig populations being eradicated in Egypt as way to ward off the virus.
Johnson explained that the virus is wholly transmitted by human-to-human contact. He said that there is nothing to fear from handling pigs or pork products, be it for a job or 4-H or livestock handling or a petting zoo.
“It is a swine virus that has mutated and adapted itself to humans,” Johnson explained. The genetic change that allows a virus to spread from one species to another is called antigenic shift.
Concerning Mexico, Johnson said that while it has been receiving the lion’s share of media coverage, he explained that there is not much scientific data coming from Mexico to confirm that the 160 deaths there are because of the virus.
The World Health Organization is even reporting that it is dismissing the number of deaths Mexico is reporting as being caused by the virus.
Johnson said that the only confirmed death caused by the virus, in the world thus far, is a baby in Texas.
WHO is reporting only nine official deaths caused by the virus, worldwide. But, WHO has declared the virus as a Phase 5 Outbreak, meaning a pandemic is imminent.
The U.S. Center for Disease Control is asking that all non-essential travel to Mexico be postponed at least for a couple of weeks, Johnson said. He added that he is strongly urging people to cancel cruise trips to Mexico as well, and evidently airlines and cruises are not charging the normal cancellation fees due to the outbreak.
Johnson also said that flu vaccines such as Tamiflu are being reserved for high-risk people, such as the elderly or children, and so will be in short supply for those who are not at risk.
He also said that while there is not yet a vaccine specific to this new strain of swine flu, or H1N1 virus, he predicts a vaccine to be available within 2-3 months.
The H1N1 virus was blamed for the Spanish Flu, or La Gripe Espanola, that killed between 50 million 100 million people worldwide in 1918-19.
The California Department of Public Health’s swine flu hotline, (888) 865-0564, is available in both Spanish and English, Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m.-6 p.m., and on weekends from 8 a.m.- 4 p.m.
More information can be found on various Web sites, including: www.cdc.gov/swineflu/, ww2.cdph.ca.gov/HEALTHINFO/DISCOND/Pages/SwineInfluenza.aspx, www.monohealth.com/news/news.html, www.countyofinyo.org/publichealth/ or http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html.
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