No cases of swine flu have been reported in King County or the state as of Monday, the director of Public Health – Seattle and King County told the King County Council in a briefing Monday.
Dr. David Fleming told the council the 40 cases confirmed in the United States have been mild, with no serious illnesses or deaths.
“At Public Health we are actively preparing with our partners for the real possibility of swine flu here in our region,” said Fleming. “Whether or not swine flu arrives in King County, now is the time to get prepared. The more we are all prepared at home, the better we’ll be able to respond and recover.”
Public Health has asked local health care providers to notify the agency of suspected swine flu cases and has made arrangements with the state Department of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to quickly submit suspect lab specimens for testing and confirmation, according to Fleming.
County Council members expressed satisfaction with the heightened local monitoring and other steps being taken by Public Health in connection with the current outbreak of swine flu.
“I was pleased to hear that King County stands ready to respond to outbreaks as a public health service provider, as an emergency management responder, and as a major employer,” said council chair Dow Constantine, who called for the briefing.
Council member Julia Patterson of Seatac, chair of the King County Board of Health, who represents part of Renton on the County Council, said she is pleased that King County “is as prepared as any jurisdiction in the event of a pandemic flu.”
“However, I am concerned that given the cuts proposed in the state budget and impending cuts to the county budget, our health department will have reduced capacity to respond to emergencies in the future,” she said.
Dr. Jeff Duchin, Disease Control Officer for Communicable Disease at Public Health – Seattle & King County, said the CDC has asked to receive all suspect lab specimens to ensure that cases that may appear as seasonal flu are not in fact the new strain of swine flu.
He also said local providers are being advised on how to screen patients who present flu-like symptoms and that Public Health will investigate any cases of severe unexplained respiratory illness. Duchin said Public Health is recommending that the public not seek health care that they would not otherwise seek.
Fleming said a framework already laid out by the King County Council for the county’s comprehensive planning for pandemic flu will provide effective guidance and that the current response will provide useful lessons for updating the plan.
The council in 2007 adopted the Pandemic Flu Preparedness Plan that recognizes:
• the county’s role in regional public health and emergency management response.
• the county’s duty as both a regional service provider and a local service provider for continued provision of police and paramedics, bus service, wastewater treatment and other public services in the event of a pandemic flu, and
• the county’s duty as a large employer to ensure that its own workplaces help prevent the spread of pandemic flu.
The CDC reports a total of 40 confirmed cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) infection from California, Texas, New York City, Ohio and Kansas. Human cases of swine influenza virus infection also have been identified internationally.
Public Health also contributed the following fact sheet in connection with today’s briefing:
When should I seek medical care?
At this time, the health department recommends people use their usual decision-making criteria about when to seek medical care.
• If you are mildly ill with flu-like symptoms and would not ordinarily go to the doctor, do not seek medical care at this time.
• If you are feeling very ill with flu-like symptoms, seek medical care as you would under ordinary circumstances.
• If you recently returned from an area where there are confirmed swine flu cases and feel ill with flu-like symptoms, contact your health care provider.
What is swine flu?
Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that causes regular outbreaks in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. Swine flu viruses have been reported to spread from person-to-person, but in the past, this transmission was limited and not sustained beyond three people. The CDC has determined that the current swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it not known how easily the virus spreads between people.
Good opportunity to get prepared at home and work
For more information on the flu and for how to prepare for a possible outbreak in King County, go to flu pandemic.
Staying healthy
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. If you don’t have access to soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• To further prevent the spread of germs, avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
<b<Avoid close contact with sick people
• Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
If you get sick with the flu
• If you get sick, Public Health – Seattle & King County strongly recommends that you stay home from work or school so you can get better and keep others from getting sick.
• Also, if you get sick remain at home and avoid contact with others until 7 days after your first symptoms began or until symptoms resolve, whichever is longer.
