Broward County – While no cases have been identified in Florida at this time, cases of swine flu have been confirmed in the United States, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The number of cases in Mexico has reached into the hundreds.
“The Broward County Health Department has increased surveillance and have provided information to physicians, hospitals and community partners,” said Dr. Paula Thaqi, Director of the Broward County Health Department. “Broward County Health Department has a response plan and has activated it,” she said.
Broward County Health Department and the State of Florida have prepared for influenza events:
· All state laboratories have the facilities to safely identify influenza samples.
· The state has almost 100 sentinel physicians, 7 in Broward County, who report unusual influenza-like activity.
· We have the ability to monitor the sale of over the counter drugs, as an early warning sign for increased influenza activity.
Broward County Health Department officials provide these recommendations:
· As always, people with respiratory illness should stay home from work or school to avoid spreading infections, including influenza, to others in the community;
· Avoid close contact with people who are coughing or otherwise appear ill;
· Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth;
· Wash hands frequently to lessen the spread of respiratory illness;
· People experiencing cough, fever and fatigue, possibly along with diarrhea and vomiting, should contact their physician/health care provider;
· Cough or sneeze into a tissue or into your upper sleeve, not your hands and put your used tissue in the waste basket;
· If you think you have influenza, please call your health care provider and discuss whether you need to be seen.
Swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food and a person cannot get swine influenza from eating pork products. The infections appear to spread from person to person.
