Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
H1N1 likely spreading in area, officials say
Randy Griffith
JOHNSTOWN, Oct 14, 2009
All indications show that H1N1 flu virus is spreading across the region, bringing the predicted fever, cough, sore throat and other assorted symptoms, but little serious illness, health and school leaders say.
"We are seeing more in the community," infectious disease specialist Dr. Louis Schenfeld said from Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown.
"The cases being seen in the community show that H1N1 flu virus is spreading across the region."
Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows widespread flu activity in Pennsylvania, absenteeism is mixed at school districts in Cambria and Somerset counties.
Richland, Conemaugh Valley, Windber Area and Penn Cambria schools report unusually high absentee rates, while Greater Johnstown, Somerset and Conemaugh Township Area report normal attendance. Richland absentee rates doubled during the three-day weekend, Superintendent Thomas Fleming said.
"We have about 120 kids absent at the elementary school and 123 at the high school," Fleming said. "That's about 15 percent absenteeism. We have had some parents who called and said they were told their children have the H1N1 virus."
It's a safe bet they have H1N1, also mistakenly called swine flu, Schenfeld said. But it is unlikely the patients actually were tested for the specific strain of virus.
H1N1 is a TypeaEUR^A influenza virus. The specific test must be done at one of a few labs across the country. The tests cost about $275 each, and it takes several days to get results, Schenfeld said.
Moreover, knowing the subtype doesn't change the treatment. Symptoms and treatment for H1N1 are exactly the same as seasonal flu, he said.
Nationally, more than 99 percent of the flu identified in labs in the past few weeks has been Type A, and 99 percent of Type A tested has been H1N1, the latest CDC report says.
Many doctors aren't even sending suspected flu to the lab for testing, Schenfeld said.
"Knowing the type of flu doesn't change therapy," Schenfeld said. "You wouldn't wait for the test to come back to start treatment."aEUR^
In other words, if someone has the classic flu symptoms this week, chances are it's the H1N1 flu.
"That's a very good assumption,"aEUR^state Health Department spokeswoman Stacy Kriedeman said. "Almost all of what we are seeing is the pandemic H1N1 influenza."
That's the bad news. The good news is, the swine flu has not been the killer many first feared in the spring after it was linked to dozens of deaths in areas of Mexico. Outside of that impoverished region, H1N1 has proven relatively mild.
"The severity has pretty much remained the same," Kriedeman said. "It is typical of what we see with the seasonal flu."
"I am not aware of any severe cases," Fleming said.
Absentee rates are similar to seasonal flu, Superintendent Mary Beth Whited said from Penn Cambria schools, but she is not ready to say H1N1 has struck the Cresson area.
"I have no information at this point that it is the H1N1," Whited said. "We are seeing a lot of respiratory sickness."
Several superintendents said the public awareness campaigns for H1N1 are proving effective. Schools have been pushing the CDC and Health Department advice to keep students home if they are having flu symptoms.
"Maybe in the past, it would be a case of having a kid come to school, but now they are staying home with the same symptoms," Fleming said.
"I think we are all doing that," Whited said. "The concerns are healthy concerns."
Those healthy concerns have some parents worried about conflicts with school attendance policies, Conemaugh Valley Superintendent David Lehman said.
Students normally are penalized for missing 10 days or more during the school year, and the district has attendance goals set by the state.
"We are going to evaluate those on a case-by-case basis," Lehman said. "We are saying, if you think you have a problem, keep them home."
Lehman noted the irony of the swine flu advice.
"Ninety-nine percent of the time, I'm making calls to say, 'Get your kids to school unless they are throwing up,' " Lehman said.
http://www.individual.com/story.php?story=108375674
Randy Griffith
JOHNSTOWN, Oct 14, 2009
All indications show that H1N1 flu virus is spreading across the region, bringing the predicted fever, cough, sore throat and other assorted symptoms, but little serious illness, health and school leaders say.
"We are seeing more in the community," infectious disease specialist Dr. Louis Schenfeld said from Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown.
"The cases being seen in the community show that H1N1 flu virus is spreading across the region."
Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows widespread flu activity in Pennsylvania, absenteeism is mixed at school districts in Cambria and Somerset counties.
Richland, Conemaugh Valley, Windber Area and Penn Cambria schools report unusually high absentee rates, while Greater Johnstown, Somerset and Conemaugh Township Area report normal attendance. Richland absentee rates doubled during the three-day weekend, Superintendent Thomas Fleming said.
"We have about 120 kids absent at the elementary school and 123 at the high school," Fleming said. "That's about 15 percent absenteeism. We have had some parents who called and said they were told their children have the H1N1 virus."
It's a safe bet they have H1N1, also mistakenly called swine flu, Schenfeld said. But it is unlikely the patients actually were tested for the specific strain of virus.
H1N1 is a TypeaEUR^A influenza virus. The specific test must be done at one of a few labs across the country. The tests cost about $275 each, and it takes several days to get results, Schenfeld said.
Moreover, knowing the subtype doesn't change the treatment. Symptoms and treatment for H1N1 are exactly the same as seasonal flu, he said.
Nationally, more than 99 percent of the flu identified in labs in the past few weeks has been Type A, and 99 percent of Type A tested has been H1N1, the latest CDC report says.
Many doctors aren't even sending suspected flu to the lab for testing, Schenfeld said.
"Knowing the type of flu doesn't change therapy," Schenfeld said. "You wouldn't wait for the test to come back to start treatment."aEUR^
In other words, if someone has the classic flu symptoms this week, chances are it's the H1N1 flu.
"That's a very good assumption,"aEUR^state Health Department spokeswoman Stacy Kriedeman said. "Almost all of what we are seeing is the pandemic H1N1 influenza."
That's the bad news. The good news is, the swine flu has not been the killer many first feared in the spring after it was linked to dozens of deaths in areas of Mexico. Outside of that impoverished region, H1N1 has proven relatively mild.
"The severity has pretty much remained the same," Kriedeman said. "It is typical of what we see with the seasonal flu."
"I am not aware of any severe cases," Fleming said.
Absentee rates are similar to seasonal flu, Superintendent Mary Beth Whited said from Penn Cambria schools, but she is not ready to say H1N1 has struck the Cresson area.
"I have no information at this point that it is the H1N1," Whited said. "We are seeing a lot of respiratory sickness."
Several superintendents said the public awareness campaigns for H1N1 are proving effective. Schools have been pushing the CDC and Health Department advice to keep students home if they are having flu symptoms.
"Maybe in the past, it would be a case of having a kid come to school, but now they are staying home with the same symptoms," Fleming said.
"I think we are all doing that," Whited said. "The concerns are healthy concerns."
Those healthy concerns have some parents worried about conflicts with school attendance policies, Conemaugh Valley Superintendent David Lehman said.
Students normally are penalized for missing 10 days or more during the school year, and the district has attendance goals set by the state.
"We are going to evaluate those on a case-by-case basis," Lehman said. "We are saying, if you think you have a problem, keep them home."
Lehman noted the irony of the swine flu advice.
"Ninety-nine percent of the time, I'm making calls to say, 'Get your kids to school unless they are throwing up,' " Lehman said.
http://www.individual.com/story.php?story=108375674