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http://www.ky3.com/news/local/51610197.html
Story Published: Jul 24, 2009 at 5:16 PM CDT
Story Updated: Jul 24, 2009 at 5:16 PM CDT
Fort Leonard Wood says its hospital has treated 21 cases of H1N1 or Swine Flu in the last 5-weeks.
The hospital says the majority were active duty soldiers either at the post for training, or assigned there permanently.
All of the sick are expected to make a full recovery.
Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease control says this fall and winter, the nation could see double or triple the swine flu cases it saw this spring.
The C-D-C says it will be a challenging time, especially as schools go back into session.
St. Louis University is one of 10-universities that will test a new swine flu vaccine.
And today, the government updated its *seasonal* flu recommendation. It says all children, ages 6-months to 16-years should get a flu shot.
http://www.mcalesternews.com/local/local_story_205113531.html
Published: July 24, 2009 10:35 am print this story
More soldiers suspected of having Swine Flu, doctor says
By James Beaty
Senior Editor
Medical personnel think another three soldiers who are in isolation at the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant are infected with the Novel Influenza H1N1 Swine Flu ? but no more tests are planned to determine if that?s the case.
That?s according to Dr. Norman McAlester, the physician on the base who has been treating the patients.
If those three soldiers do have the Swine Flu as medical personnel suspect, it would bring the number of soldiers at McAAP who have had the illness to 11.
It?s already the largest single Swine Flu outbreak in Oklahoma, with eight soldiers testing positive earlier this week.
Asked why it?s not being determined for certain whether the additional three soldiers have the Swine Flu, Dr. McAlester said ?We aren?t testing those three.?
?Any new patients are being isolated? as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control, he said.
?We don?t need testing to run the number count up,? McAlester said.
District Nurse Manager and RN Melissa Tidwell at the Pittsburg County Health Dept. agreed there?s no need to continue testing soldiers who become ill at the base to determine if they also have the Novel Influenza H1NI Swine Flu.
?There?s no need to test once you?ve identified the organism in a group like that. Once you?ve identified the organism, they have the same symptoms.?
The eight soldiers who have already tested positive for the Swine Flu are at McAAP as part of a military training operation for the U.S. Army Reserves and the National Guard known as Exercise Golden Cargo.
Those eight soldiers, who are from Texas and Puerto Rico, had been placed in isolation in tents on the base after they developed symptoms which led medical personnel to suspect they were infected with the illness.
The initial eight soldiers no longer have symptoms and have returned to the general population, according to Capt. Alex Monje, an RN with the 5501st of the U.S. Army Reserves out of San Antonio, Texas.
?We now have six in isolation,? Monje said ? the three who are suspected of having the Swine Flu and another three who are suspected of having regular seasonal flu.
Dr. McAlester said that as of Thursday, there had been no new cases reported.
Capt. Monje had been one of the first to see the soldiers who were later determined to have the Swine Flu. He said the first symptoms started showing up around July 16.
Some of the soldiers who came to see him were experiencing chills and fever, Monje said.
Cultures were taken of the soldiers for testing, and on Wednesday the Pittsburg County Health Department and McAAP were informed that the soldiers had tested positive for the H1N1 Swine Flu.
Tidwell said the Army Reserves and McAAP did an excellent job in isolating the patients from the other soldiers while awaiting test results.
?They couldn?t have done it better,? she said.
Approximately 270 soldiers are at MCAAP to participate in Exercise Golden Cargo, said McAAP spokesman Mark Hughes. They are from Florida, South Carolina, Georgia and Missouri, along with the soldiers from Texas and Puerto Rico.
The soldiers arrived at the base on July 12 and are set to leave on July 30. Exercise Golden Cargo is a training operation to teach the soldiers how to handle and transport ammunition.
Meanwhile, McAAP Commander Col. Arnold P. Montgomery has sent an e-mail to McAAP employees or their supervisors saying they should not be alarmed. McAAP has nearly 1,600 civilian employees, according to Hughes.
Montgomery sent the e-mail at 5:09 p.m. on Wednesday.
He noted that he had informed some of the recipients last Saturday that some of the Army Reserve soldiers at McAAP for Golden Cargo were ill with Influenza A. Oklahoma health authorities notified the base on Wednesday that eight solders confirmed positive for the H1N1 influenza virus, he said.
?Once they presented themselves with flu-like symptoms, they were immediately separated from the general population and placed into quarantine,? Arnold said.
?The patients did not require hospitalization. The average illness lasted three days and then they were observed for an additional day at which time they were released to return to their duty.?
Montgomery said the patients had been treated for their symptoms, such as being given something for headaches and cough, along with plenty of fluids.
?The quarantined soldiers were moved from their living quarters into a tent and provided face masks,? he said.
?The command in charge of Golden Cargo immediately instituted a vigorous regime of frequent hand-washing for the remaining soldiers.?
Montgomery said the Golden Cargo command also provided an aggressive information campaign to the remaining soldiers. It included advice such as covering your mouth with your sleeve if you cough and to refrain from touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
?Military medical personnel at McAAP and the Pittsburg County Health Department monitored these cases to limit exposure to others while confirmatory tests were pending,? Montgomery said.
?We do not believe McAAP employees or the public has been placed at increased risk for exposure to the H1N1 virus from these particular cases.?
Monje said his medical staff with the Army Reserves has done an outstanding job, citing the contributions of Sgt. Iris Hernandez and Specialists Chris Reeves and Jefferson Adams.
?The command staff was quick in reacting,? he said.
Medical personnel at McAAP and the Pittsburg County Health Department said they plan to continue watching the situation.
Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com.
It's getting closer to me all the time
Story Published: Jul 24, 2009 at 5:16 PM CDT
Story Updated: Jul 24, 2009 at 5:16 PM CDT
Fort Leonard Wood says its hospital has treated 21 cases of H1N1 or Swine Flu in the last 5-weeks.
The hospital says the majority were active duty soldiers either at the post for training, or assigned there permanently.
All of the sick are expected to make a full recovery.
Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease control says this fall and winter, the nation could see double or triple the swine flu cases it saw this spring.
The C-D-C says it will be a challenging time, especially as schools go back into session.
St. Louis University is one of 10-universities that will test a new swine flu vaccine.
And today, the government updated its *seasonal* flu recommendation. It says all children, ages 6-months to 16-years should get a flu shot.
http://www.mcalesternews.com/local/local_story_205113531.html
Published: July 24, 2009 10:35 am print this story
More soldiers suspected of having Swine Flu, doctor says
By James Beaty
Senior Editor
Medical personnel think another three soldiers who are in isolation at the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant are infected with the Novel Influenza H1N1 Swine Flu ? but no more tests are planned to determine if that?s the case.
That?s according to Dr. Norman McAlester, the physician on the base who has been treating the patients.
If those three soldiers do have the Swine Flu as medical personnel suspect, it would bring the number of soldiers at McAAP who have had the illness to 11.
It?s already the largest single Swine Flu outbreak in Oklahoma, with eight soldiers testing positive earlier this week.
Asked why it?s not being determined for certain whether the additional three soldiers have the Swine Flu, Dr. McAlester said ?We aren?t testing those three.?
?Any new patients are being isolated? as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control, he said.
?We don?t need testing to run the number count up,? McAlester said.
District Nurse Manager and RN Melissa Tidwell at the Pittsburg County Health Dept. agreed there?s no need to continue testing soldiers who become ill at the base to determine if they also have the Novel Influenza H1NI Swine Flu.
?There?s no need to test once you?ve identified the organism in a group like that. Once you?ve identified the organism, they have the same symptoms.?
The eight soldiers who have already tested positive for the Swine Flu are at McAAP as part of a military training operation for the U.S. Army Reserves and the National Guard known as Exercise Golden Cargo.
Those eight soldiers, who are from Texas and Puerto Rico, had been placed in isolation in tents on the base after they developed symptoms which led medical personnel to suspect they were infected with the illness.
The initial eight soldiers no longer have symptoms and have returned to the general population, according to Capt. Alex Monje, an RN with the 5501st of the U.S. Army Reserves out of San Antonio, Texas.
?We now have six in isolation,? Monje said ? the three who are suspected of having the Swine Flu and another three who are suspected of having regular seasonal flu.
Dr. McAlester said that as of Thursday, there had been no new cases reported.
Capt. Monje had been one of the first to see the soldiers who were later determined to have the Swine Flu. He said the first symptoms started showing up around July 16.
Some of the soldiers who came to see him were experiencing chills and fever, Monje said.
Cultures were taken of the soldiers for testing, and on Wednesday the Pittsburg County Health Department and McAAP were informed that the soldiers had tested positive for the H1N1 Swine Flu.
Tidwell said the Army Reserves and McAAP did an excellent job in isolating the patients from the other soldiers while awaiting test results.
?They couldn?t have done it better,? she said.
Approximately 270 soldiers are at MCAAP to participate in Exercise Golden Cargo, said McAAP spokesman Mark Hughes. They are from Florida, South Carolina, Georgia and Missouri, along with the soldiers from Texas and Puerto Rico.
The soldiers arrived at the base on July 12 and are set to leave on July 30. Exercise Golden Cargo is a training operation to teach the soldiers how to handle and transport ammunition.
Meanwhile, McAAP Commander Col. Arnold P. Montgomery has sent an e-mail to McAAP employees or their supervisors saying they should not be alarmed. McAAP has nearly 1,600 civilian employees, according to Hughes.
Montgomery sent the e-mail at 5:09 p.m. on Wednesday.
He noted that he had informed some of the recipients last Saturday that some of the Army Reserve soldiers at McAAP for Golden Cargo were ill with Influenza A. Oklahoma health authorities notified the base on Wednesday that eight solders confirmed positive for the H1N1 influenza virus, he said.
?Once they presented themselves with flu-like symptoms, they were immediately separated from the general population and placed into quarantine,? Arnold said.
?The patients did not require hospitalization. The average illness lasted three days and then they were observed for an additional day at which time they were released to return to their duty.?
Montgomery said the patients had been treated for their symptoms, such as being given something for headaches and cough, along with plenty of fluids.
?The quarantined soldiers were moved from their living quarters into a tent and provided face masks,? he said.
?The command in charge of Golden Cargo immediately instituted a vigorous regime of frequent hand-washing for the remaining soldiers.?
Montgomery said the Golden Cargo command also provided an aggressive information campaign to the remaining soldiers. It included advice such as covering your mouth with your sleeve if you cough and to refrain from touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
?Military medical personnel at McAAP and the Pittsburg County Health Department monitored these cases to limit exposure to others while confirmatory tests were pending,? Montgomery said.
?We do not believe McAAP employees or the public has been placed at increased risk for exposure to the H1N1 virus from these particular cases.?
Monje said his medical staff with the Army Reserves has done an outstanding job, citing the contributions of Sgt. Iris Hernandez and Specialists Chris Reeves and Jefferson Adams.
?The command staff was quick in reacting,? he said.
Medical personnel at McAAP and the Pittsburg County Health Department said they plan to continue watching the situation.
Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com.
It's getting closer to me all the time
