Cases testing positive for swine flu
Jess ManciniPARKERSBURG Some Wood County students who missed school this past week are testing positive for the swine flu, a health officer said Saturday.
All the cases testing positive by the state were the H1N1 virus rather than the seasonal flu, Sherif Ibrahim, regional epidemiologist for the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department, said. The seasonal flu is active from November to May, Ibrahim said.
"We have yet to see the seasonal flu," he said.
Wood County Schools this past week reported high absenteeism of students with flu-like symptoms, such as fever, nausea and other intestinal disorders. At Worthington Elementary School, more than 40 percent of the student body stayed home while more than 10 percent were off at VanDevender and Parkersburg High School.
Absences were also high in Jackson County and in Mason County where Ashton Elementary School was closed.
Closing a school won't prevent further infections of the swine flu, which spreads fast, Ibrahim said. Closing a school is an administrative decision based on whether instruction is impacted rather than a decision that should be made from a public health perspective, he said.
Vaccinations are the No. 1 preventive measure, he said.
"Closing schools isn't going to stop the spread," Ibrahim said.
The health department by the end of the week is expected to receive its first batch of H1N1 vaccine, which will be administered first to the target groups, he said. About 900 doses may be received, but subsequent shipments are expected, Ibrahim said.
"After we get the target groups vaccinated, anyone who wants the vaccine will get it," he said.
Population groups targeted for the vaccinations through school based clinics, other public clinics and targeted outreach programs, according to the West Virginia Bureau of Public Health: pregnant women; people who live with or provide care for children younger than 6 months; health care and emergency medical workers; people aged 6 months to 24 years of age; and people aged 25 to 64 who are at higher risk because of other health issues.
While several states are reporting outbreaks, West Virginia continues to report regional activity, Ibrahim said.
Around a dozen states are reporting regional occurrences, the Centers for Disease Control said. Most of the others are reporting widespread activity, the CDC said.
At least 76 children have died from the swine flu, the center said. In contrast, pediatric influenza deaths ranged from 46 to 88 in the past three years, according to Anne Schuchat, director of CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.
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deerwatcher
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10-13-09 7:52 AM
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There are people working in charleston on the weekend? If it takes week to get test results back? Are you over it, when you get the results? This is just a scare to pass health care. How stupid does the health dept. think we are? "If you have the flu you have H1N1" Are you kidding me. That is like saying all skin moles is skin cancer. What is being taught is health class?
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viennamom001
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10-12-09 8:35 PM
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What happens. or do we do, if we'd prefer not to send our kids to school to play roulette with this flu? How can this be held against us or our children? Can they give me a positive answer on my child NOT being exposed to this??
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JerseyGirl
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10-11-09 11:55 PM
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Why is nothing being sent home from the schools, such as a letter or phone call thru the automated phone system? My kids go to Neale and if that flu tracker site is correct, there are 20 confirmed cases at this school. We are doing everything we can to help minimize the risk, but we still have a right to know if the illness has hit the schools and how many students/staff have gotten sick!
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localgal
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10-11-09 11:07 PM
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A lady I work with tested positive for regular influenza this week. The regular flu has already started in the area, too. Not everyone who has been sick here has H1N1.
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yolarry
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10-11-09 2:16 PM
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swine flu is like the regular seasonal flu and it is! (roll eyes) Does news people figure out that 100's to 1,000's of Americans die from the flu yet? Anyways this flu is like oxygen. it can be in the air and hit directly to your house and bam you have swine flu.
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concernedpburgcitizen
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10-11-09 11:00 AM
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Closing schools won't cut the number of cases? WHAT?? I am sick of the crap with this flu. If you CAN'T be assured the vaccine is safe, you can't assure us healthy kids aren't affected, because they ARE, I just heard it on national news that 19 kids DIED just last week from this flu nationwide. About 30% had NO underlying health conditions. The vaccine has traces of mercury in it??? COME ON PEOPLE. Stop playing with our kids lives. What options can we be offered to keep our kids safer? I want my child around to graduate. I don't want my kid in school right now, and am afraid of the vaccine. This is my CHILD.
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Finders
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10-11-09 9:57 AM
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Some of the schools confirmed cases are listed at *******flutracker.rhizalabs****/ ***********google****/flutrends/intl/en_us/us/ PLEASE CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF Blennerhassett Elementary School -Confirmed Cases: 25 Blennerhassett Junior High School -Confirmed Cases: 30 Lubeck Elementary School -Confirmed Cases: 25 Parkersburg High School From -Confirmed Cases: 65 Emerson Elementary School -Confirmed Cases: 20 Criss Elementary School -Confirmed Cases: 15 Jefferson Elementary Center -Confirmed Cases: 30 Hamilton Junior High School -Confirmed Cases: 30 Emerson Elementary School -Confirmed Cases: 20 Madison Elementary School -Confirmed Cases: 20 Van Devender Junior High School -Confirmed Cases: 20 Neale Elementary School -Confirmed Cases: 20 Vienna Elementary School -Confirmed Cases: 20 Jackson Junior High School -Confirmed Cases: 30 Waverly Elementary School -Confirmed Cases: 10 Marietta College -Confirmed Cases: 20
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