Swine flu drug stock arrives in Lakewood
LAKEWOOD: Jefferson County’s share of anti-viral drugs is on hand, but there are no confirmed cases of swine flu in the county, a county Department of Health spokeswoman said Friday. Jeffco is one of 13 Colorado counties that have received the drug.
The stock of anti-viral drugs will be reserved for people who are ill, and will not be used as a preventative.
“Thus far we have no positives. While we did submit cases, they came back negative,” said spokeswoman Nancy Braden.
Televised news reports about a likely local victim – a high school student – turned out to be mistaken.
“When we get calls (from schools), we are having our epidemiologist talk to them. It tuned out to be something that was probably strep, but as schools – or anyone – call us, it provides us an opportunity to make sure that they have the latest guidelines on the H1N1 virus,” Braden said.
Heightened public awareness is reflected in the number of calls for information as well as quite a few from folks who think they have swine flu.
“And we expect that will be continuing until people really understand what the symptoms are, Braden said. “But the main thing for us right now is for people to follow the guidelines: wash your hands frequently, cover your cough, stay home if you get sick. That’s probably the biggest one.”
So far, there are 365 cases worldwide and only two deaths, one in Texas and one in Mexico – the epicenter of the outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control said Friday 141 cases had been confirmed in the U.S.
Colorado still had only two confirmed cases Friday, according to the Colorado Department of Health. Those two are the only positive tests among eight “suspect” specimens sent to the CDC labs for testing. Results of the remaining half-dozen samples are pending, state health officials said.
The state agency issued guidelines for schools and day-care centers in hopes of corralling the spread of the disease, suggesting that anyone with symptoms be sent home “until 24 hours after the symptoms are resolved.”
The warning signs of the illness, which don’t surface until after the victims is contagious, are similar to those of most flu strains: fever greater than 100 degrees, head and body aches, sore throat, cough, congestion, chills, fatigue and stomach problems.
Braden suggests that people displaying those symptoms go home and call their doctor.
Although the disease has been fairly mild in most victims, serious concern remains over its pandemic spread.
“ What we are concerned about is that this is a new virus. It’s a virus that’s never been seen before, it’s spreading from person to person and it is spreading across the globe,” Braden said.
“When we start seeing it in more and more people, then there’s a potential that some people will come down with a more serious form.”
