Roehl_JC
Moderator
Syracuse, NY -- Flu activity and related hospitalizations continue to increase to levels never seen before at this time of the year, according to Dr. Cynthia Morrow, Onondaga County?s health commissioner.
The number of lab-confirmed flu cases in Onondaga, Madison and Cayuga counties rose to 384 in the week ending Oct. 31. That represents a nearly 17-fold increase in four weeks. Those numbers include all types of influenza. The vast majority are believed to be H1N1, or swine flu.
Syracuse?s four hospitals saw unusually high patient volume in their emergency departments in the week ending Oct. 31. Total daily emergency visits at the four hospitals exceeded 500 on five consecutive days that week.
Morrow said this amount of flu activity is what the community normally sees with seasonal flu in January, February or March.
Most people getting the flu are mildly ill, according to Morrow. ?Most people are doing well just by staying home, taking care of themselves with over the counter medications and a lot of tender loving care,? she said.
The supply of H1N1 vaccine is starting to improve, Morrow said. Health care providers in Onondaga County received 22,000 doses this week. People at high risk of developing complications from the flu ? such as pregnant women and people with chronic conditions like asthma and diabetes ? should contact their medical providers to see if they have vaccine available, she said.
More than 9,000 Onondaga County residents have registered their children for school-based clinics since the sign-up process began Thursday. Parents can sign up their school-age children online by visiting their school district?s Web site or by calling the county Health Department?s flu shot hotline, 435-5752.
After some early technical glitches, the online reservation system and hotline are working smoothly, Morrow said. There is still plenty of time to register for the clinics scheduled from Nov. 16 to Dec. 11, she said.
Contact James T. Mulder at 470-2245 or jmulder@syracuse.com
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2009/11/swine_flu_update_illness_hospi.html
The number of lab-confirmed flu cases in Onondaga, Madison and Cayuga counties rose to 384 in the week ending Oct. 31. That represents a nearly 17-fold increase in four weeks. Those numbers include all types of influenza. The vast majority are believed to be H1N1, or swine flu.
Syracuse?s four hospitals saw unusually high patient volume in their emergency departments in the week ending Oct. 31. Total daily emergency visits at the four hospitals exceeded 500 on five consecutive days that week.
Morrow said this amount of flu activity is what the community normally sees with seasonal flu in January, February or March.
Most people getting the flu are mildly ill, according to Morrow. ?Most people are doing well just by staying home, taking care of themselves with over the counter medications and a lot of tender loving care,? she said.
The supply of H1N1 vaccine is starting to improve, Morrow said. Health care providers in Onondaga County received 22,000 doses this week. People at high risk of developing complications from the flu ? such as pregnant women and people with chronic conditions like asthma and diabetes ? should contact their medical providers to see if they have vaccine available, she said.
More than 9,000 Onondaga County residents have registered their children for school-based clinics since the sign-up process began Thursday. Parents can sign up their school-age children online by visiting their school district?s Web site or by calling the county Health Department?s flu shot hotline, 435-5752.
After some early technical glitches, the online reservation system and hotline are working smoothly, Morrow said. There is still plenty of time to register for the clinics scheduled from Nov. 16 to Dec. 11, she said.
Contact James T. Mulder at 470-2245 or jmulder@syracuse.com
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2009/11/swine_flu_update_illness_hospi.html