http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=811868
Pandemic swine flu won't give us a break
Global reach of illness made clear as area sees unusual June caseload
By HUMBERTO MART?NEZ, Staff writer
First published: Friday, June 19, 2009
ALBANY -- Local hospitals and schools are feeling the effects of a rare June outbreak of flu, including cases of swine flu, health officials say.
Albany Medical Center, which saw no cases of flu in June 2008, has seen at least 43 cases this month, including 8 confirmed cases of H1N1, or swine flu, spokeswoman Nicole Pitaniello said.
On Thursday, Henry Johnson Charter School in Albany closed for the remainder of the week after 36 of 194 students and two teachers were sick on Wednesday.
The number of regular flu cases is unusually high at Albany Medical Center, Pitaniello said. The state Health Department also confirmed that influenza is circulating in the state at unusually high levels.
Department spokesman Tom Allocco said the majority of flu cases in the state recently have been H1N1.
Last week, the Health Department reported one case of swine flu in Albany County. On Thursday, it reported seven. But that jump was normal and not considered a "spike," Allocco said.
Local and state health officials said H1N1 is making a normal progression through the state.
"H1N1 has become increasingly widespread in New York State over the past several weeks and months, as we expected it would," the Health Department said in a statement. "We are seeing more confirmed cases reported from upstate counties every day now than we were a few weeks back. ... More people are likely to be exposed to it now, as opposed to a month ago. Seeing more cases is not a surprise, and doesn't indicate anything new about the virus."
On June 11, the World Health Organization declared swine flu to be a global pandemic, with more than 70 countries reporting cases of the illness. According to a June 12 CDC report, there were 17,855 confirmed and probable cases of swine flu in the U.S., with 44 deaths related to the disease. On Thursday, the state Health Department said there had been 1,709 cases in the state.
Saratoga County now has three cases, Schenectady County has six and Rensselaer county has six cases. On Wednesday, Warren County confirmed its first case.
Albany Medical is implementing stricter rules to prevent the disease from spreading, including restricted visitations.
Most people with flu at Albany Med were outpatients or clinic visitors, but nine were hospital workers. In an e-mail to employees, Albany Medical Center Executive Vice President Steven Frisch warned managers to keep an eye on employees who may be getting infected.
"We are beginning to see employees developing flu-like symptoms," Frisch wrote. "It is imperative that staff understand the importance of tracking employee absenteeism during this time when calling in sick. They must report if their absenteeism is due to flu-like symptoms."
Pitaniello said that though personnel are required to wear protective gear at work, outside the hospital they can catch the flu like anyone else.
"This is a community issue," Pitaniello said. "And anybody can be vulnerable to develop flu-like symptoms."
Saratoga Hospital and St. Peter's Hospital in Albany reported they were seeing a normal number of influenza cases. A spokesman for Samaritan Hospital in Troy said they were seeing more cases for upper-respiratory and flu-like symptoms, but couldn't give specific numbers.
Pitaniello said that while swine flu has been receiving less attention than it did some time back, it is still a concern. People will stay at home and treat themselves, so the true number of cases is unknown. The only way to get an idea of the flu's impact is to watch absentee patterns in schools and workplaces.
Ron Lesko, spokesman for the city school district of Albany, said that like Henry Johnson Charter School, they have seen a rise in students absent for flu-like symptoms, though not as significant.
Other Capital Region cases of swine flu started showing up in schools in late May and June, including a Schenectady High School student, a Troy school student and Shenendehowa middle schooler. Most of the students were reported as having mild symptoms and returned within a week.
Humberto Mart?nez can be reached at 454-5057 or hmartinez@timesunion.com. Staff writer Robert Gavin contributed to this story.
What to look for
H1N1 symptoms are similar to those of seasonal flu, which include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. According to the CDC, a significant number of people who have been infected with this new H1N1 virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting.
If you get it
H1N1 is a subtype of the seasonal flu most are familiar with and stay home for. You could be ill for up to a week. The CDC recommends you stay at home and avoid contact with others to avoid spreading the illness. If you are seriously ill or need to leave your home, wear a mask or cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue.
All Times Union materials copyright 1996-2009, Capital Newspapers Division of The Hearst Corporation, Albany, NY
Hearst Newspapers
Pandemic swine flu won't give us a break
Global reach of illness made clear as area sees unusual June caseload
By HUMBERTO MART?NEZ, Staff writer
First published: Friday, June 19, 2009
ALBANY -- Local hospitals and schools are feeling the effects of a rare June outbreak of flu, including cases of swine flu, health officials say.
Albany Medical Center, which saw no cases of flu in June 2008, has seen at least 43 cases this month, including 8 confirmed cases of H1N1, or swine flu, spokeswoman Nicole Pitaniello said.
On Thursday, Henry Johnson Charter School in Albany closed for the remainder of the week after 36 of 194 students and two teachers were sick on Wednesday.
The number of regular flu cases is unusually high at Albany Medical Center, Pitaniello said. The state Health Department also confirmed that influenza is circulating in the state at unusually high levels.
Department spokesman Tom Allocco said the majority of flu cases in the state recently have been H1N1.
Last week, the Health Department reported one case of swine flu in Albany County. On Thursday, it reported seven. But that jump was normal and not considered a "spike," Allocco said.
Local and state health officials said H1N1 is making a normal progression through the state.
"H1N1 has become increasingly widespread in New York State over the past several weeks and months, as we expected it would," the Health Department said in a statement. "We are seeing more confirmed cases reported from upstate counties every day now than we were a few weeks back. ... More people are likely to be exposed to it now, as opposed to a month ago. Seeing more cases is not a surprise, and doesn't indicate anything new about the virus."
On June 11, the World Health Organization declared swine flu to be a global pandemic, with more than 70 countries reporting cases of the illness. According to a June 12 CDC report, there were 17,855 confirmed and probable cases of swine flu in the U.S., with 44 deaths related to the disease. On Thursday, the state Health Department said there had been 1,709 cases in the state.
Saratoga County now has three cases, Schenectady County has six and Rensselaer county has six cases. On Wednesday, Warren County confirmed its first case.
Albany Medical is implementing stricter rules to prevent the disease from spreading, including restricted visitations.
Most people with flu at Albany Med were outpatients or clinic visitors, but nine were hospital workers. In an e-mail to employees, Albany Medical Center Executive Vice President Steven Frisch warned managers to keep an eye on employees who may be getting infected.
"We are beginning to see employees developing flu-like symptoms," Frisch wrote. "It is imperative that staff understand the importance of tracking employee absenteeism during this time when calling in sick. They must report if their absenteeism is due to flu-like symptoms."
Pitaniello said that though personnel are required to wear protective gear at work, outside the hospital they can catch the flu like anyone else.
"This is a community issue," Pitaniello said. "And anybody can be vulnerable to develop flu-like symptoms."
Saratoga Hospital and St. Peter's Hospital in Albany reported they were seeing a normal number of influenza cases. A spokesman for Samaritan Hospital in Troy said they were seeing more cases for upper-respiratory and flu-like symptoms, but couldn't give specific numbers.
Pitaniello said that while swine flu has been receiving less attention than it did some time back, it is still a concern. People will stay at home and treat themselves, so the true number of cases is unknown. The only way to get an idea of the flu's impact is to watch absentee patterns in schools and workplaces.
Ron Lesko, spokesman for the city school district of Albany, said that like Henry Johnson Charter School, they have seen a rise in students absent for flu-like symptoms, though not as significant.
Other Capital Region cases of swine flu started showing up in schools in late May and June, including a Schenectady High School student, a Troy school student and Shenendehowa middle schooler. Most of the students were reported as having mild symptoms and returned within a week.
Humberto Mart?nez can be reached at 454-5057 or hmartinez@timesunion.com. Staff writer Robert Gavin contributed to this story.
What to look for
H1N1 symptoms are similar to those of seasonal flu, which include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. According to the CDC, a significant number of people who have been infected with this new H1N1 virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting.
If you get it
H1N1 is a subtype of the seasonal flu most are familiar with and stay home for. You could be ill for up to a week. The CDC recommends you stay at home and avoid contact with others to avoid spreading the illness. If you are seriously ill or need to leave your home, wear a mask or cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue.
All Times Union materials copyright 1996-2009, Capital Newspapers Division of The Hearst Corporation, Albany, NY
Hearst Newspapers