Health Alerts > 5/1/09 - Flu Update
Date: May 1, 2009
Update
Global/National:
CDC has issued new guidance for school closure. One new recommendation is that if a school is closed, it should be for a minimum of 14 days. To minimize staffing shortages encourage staff need to make alternate child care plans should the schools close for this duration. For complete information: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/k12_dismissal.htm
No change in pandemic phase
Just a reminder of who should be tested:
CDC recommends that state and local health departments, hospitals, and clinicians in regions with few or no reported cases of S-OIV consider the following recommendations for testing of the following persons for S-OIV infection with a nasopharyngeal swab by PCR:
1. Patients presenting to providers who are sentinel sites who meet the case definition of influenza-like illness (ILI), or
2. Patients with an ILI who have traveled within 7 days to a community either within the United States or internationally where there are one or more confirmed swine influenza A (H1N1) cases, or
3. Patients admitted to the hospital with an ILI.
ILI is defined as fever (temperature of 100°F [37.8°C] or greater) and a cough and/or a sore throat in the absence of a KNOWN cause other than influenza.
State/Local
We have received additional calls from physicians who have diagnosed patients with Influenza B. This does appear to be occurring in other parts of the state as well.
The ISDH lab will be operating this weekend. Samples can be sent or drove down if needed. The ISDH lab hours will be:
Saturday 8 AM to 5 PM
Sunday 12 PM to 5 PM
The Department of Health will transport on Saturday if there is a need. Specimens will be picked up starting at 8:30am and cut-off for pick-up will be 11am. We will only run specimens on Saturday. Calls for pick-up or for questions should still come to Brad Witte, our Emergency Preparedness Director at 449-7151.
Please feel free to call if needed
Deb McMahan, MD
