RJ
04-26-2009, 10:18 AM
Since CP is the only source of news for many of its members......
http://news.aol.com/article/school-flu-test/445903Swine Flu Confirmed in NY Students
By VERENA DOBNIK
,
AP
posted: 3 MINUTES AGO
comments: 903
filed under: Health News, National News, World News
NEW YORK (April 26) — New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg says that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed that students at a city high school were infected with swine flu.
New York officials previously had said they were eight "probable" cases, but tests later confirmed that it was indeed swine flu. Bloomberg stressed that the cases were mild and many are recovering.
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Swine Flu Outbreak
AP
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Hiram Diaz, 8, left, gives his 6-year-old sister Adely Diaz a ride on the pegs of his bicycle while wearing protective masks near the market where their parents own a store in Mexico City, Saturday.
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The city is awaiting the tests of additional samples to see if more St. Francis Preparatory School students were infected.
About 100 students complained of flu-like symptoms at the school. Some students went to Cancun on a spring break trip two weeks ago.
So far, there have been at least 11 confirmed cases of swine flu in California, Texas and Kansas. Patients have ranged in age from 9 to over 50. At least two were hospitalized. All recovered or are recovering.
Some St. Francis students had recently traveled to Mexico, The New York Times and New York Post reported Sunday.
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Embedded video from CNN Video
Workers were sanitizing the school as a precaution. But a class reunion featuring cocktails, dinner and dancing for hundreds of alumni from as far back as 1939 went on as scheduled Saturday.
Symptoms in the New York cases have been mild, said New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden. But the illnesses have caused concern because of the outbreak in Mexico, where health officials say a strain of swine flu has killed up to 81 people and sickened more than 1,000.
The World Health Organization chief said Saturday that the strain has "pandemic potential," and it might be too late to contain a sudden outbreak.
State infectious-diseases, epidemiology and disaster preparedness workers have been dispatched to monitor and respond to possible cases of the flu. Gov. David Paterson said 1,500 treatment courses of the antiviral Tamiflu had been sent to New York City.
The city health department has asked doctors to be extra vigilant and test patients who have flu symptoms and have traveled recently to California, Texas or Mexico.
Investigators also were testing children who fell ill at a day care center in the Bronx. Two families in Manhattan also have contacted the city, saying they had recently returned ill from Mexico with flu symptoms, Frieden said.
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Flu Pandemics
Dario Lopez-Mills, AP
7 photos
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Some influenza experts expressed concern Saturday that a new, deadly hybrid strain of swine flu may spark a pandemic. The virus has killed at least 81 people in Mexico and sickened 11 in the U.S. Here, people wear surgical masks Friday as they stand in line to enter a hospital in Mexico City. Click through for past flu pandemics and pandemic fears.
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Frieden said New Yorkers having trouble breathing due to an undiagnosed respiratory illness should seek treatment but shouldn't become overly alarmed. Medical facilities near St. Francis Prep have already been flooded with people overreacting to the outbreak, he said.
Kansas health officials said Saturday that they had confirmed swine flu in a married couple living in the central part of the state after the husband visited Mexico. The couple, who live in Dickinson County, weren't hospitalized, and the state described their illnesses as mild.
"Fortunately, the man and woman understand the gravity of the situation and are very willing to isolate themselves," said Dr. Jason Eberhart-Phillips, the state health officer.
Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A flu viruses, the CDC's Web site says. Human cases are uncommon but can occur in people who are around pigs. It also can be spread from person to person. Symptoms include a high fever, body aches, coughing, sore throat and respiratory congestion.
At least nine swine flu cases have been reported in California and Texas. The most recent California case, the state's seventh, was a 35-year-old woman from Imperial County who got sick in early April. She had no known contact with the others.
Health officials are concerned because people appear to have no immunity to the virus, a combination of bird, swine and human influenzas. The virus also presents itself like other swine flus, but none of the U.S. cases appear to involve direct contact with pigs, Eberhart-Phillips said.
Associated Press writer John Hanna contributed to this report from Topeka, Kan.
http://news.aol.com/article/school-flu-test/445903Swine Flu Confirmed in NY Students
By VERENA DOBNIK
,
AP
posted: 3 MINUTES AGO
comments: 903
filed under: Health News, National News, World News
NEW YORK (April 26) — New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg says that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed that students at a city high school were infected with swine flu.
New York officials previously had said they were eight "probable" cases, but tests later confirmed that it was indeed swine flu. Bloomberg stressed that the cases were mild and many are recovering.
Skip over this content
Swine Flu Outbreak
AP
191 photos
Previous
Next
Hiram Diaz, 8, left, gives his 6-year-old sister Adely Diaz a ride on the pegs of his bicycle while wearing protective masks near the market where their parents own a store in Mexico City, Saturday.
(Note: Please disable your pop-up blocker)
Skip over this content
The city is awaiting the tests of additional samples to see if more St. Francis Preparatory School students were infected.
About 100 students complained of flu-like symptoms at the school. Some students went to Cancun on a spring break trip two weeks ago.
So far, there have been at least 11 confirmed cases of swine flu in California, Texas and Kansas. Patients have ranged in age from 9 to over 50. At least two were hospitalized. All recovered or are recovering.
Some St. Francis students had recently traveled to Mexico, The New York Times and New York Post reported Sunday.
Skip over this content
Embedded video from CNN Video
Workers were sanitizing the school as a precaution. But a class reunion featuring cocktails, dinner and dancing for hundreds of alumni from as far back as 1939 went on as scheduled Saturday.
Symptoms in the New York cases have been mild, said New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden. But the illnesses have caused concern because of the outbreak in Mexico, where health officials say a strain of swine flu has killed up to 81 people and sickened more than 1,000.
The World Health Organization chief said Saturday that the strain has "pandemic potential," and it might be too late to contain a sudden outbreak.
State infectious-diseases, epidemiology and disaster preparedness workers have been dispatched to monitor and respond to possible cases of the flu. Gov. David Paterson said 1,500 treatment courses of the antiviral Tamiflu had been sent to New York City.
The city health department has asked doctors to be extra vigilant and test patients who have flu symptoms and have traveled recently to California, Texas or Mexico.
Investigators also were testing children who fell ill at a day care center in the Bronx. Two families in Manhattan also have contacted the city, saying they had recently returned ill from Mexico with flu symptoms, Frieden said.
Skip over this content
Flu Pandemics
Dario Lopez-Mills, AP
7 photos
Previous
Next
Some influenza experts expressed concern Saturday that a new, deadly hybrid strain of swine flu may spark a pandemic. The virus has killed at least 81 people in Mexico and sickened 11 in the U.S. Here, people wear surgical masks Friday as they stand in line to enter a hospital in Mexico City. Click through for past flu pandemics and pandemic fears.
(Note: Please disable your pop-up blocker)
Frieden said New Yorkers having trouble breathing due to an undiagnosed respiratory illness should seek treatment but shouldn't become overly alarmed. Medical facilities near St. Francis Prep have already been flooded with people overreacting to the outbreak, he said.
Kansas health officials said Saturday that they had confirmed swine flu in a married couple living in the central part of the state after the husband visited Mexico. The couple, who live in Dickinson County, weren't hospitalized, and the state described their illnesses as mild.
"Fortunately, the man and woman understand the gravity of the situation and are very willing to isolate themselves," said Dr. Jason Eberhart-Phillips, the state health officer.
Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A flu viruses, the CDC's Web site says. Human cases are uncommon but can occur in people who are around pigs. It also can be spread from person to person. Symptoms include a high fever, body aches, coughing, sore throat and respiratory congestion.
At least nine swine flu cases have been reported in California and Texas. The most recent California case, the state's seventh, was a 35-year-old woman from Imperial County who got sick in early April. She had no known contact with the others.
Health officials are concerned because people appear to have no immunity to the virus, a combination of bird, swine and human influenzas. The virus also presents itself like other swine flus, but none of the U.S. cases appear to involve direct contact with pigs, Eberhart-Phillips said.
Associated Press writer John Hanna contributed to this report from Topeka, Kan.