Flu has arrived

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Hamilton County is seeing an increase in the number of students missing school this week, according to area health officials.

Shelby Kroona, Hamilton County Public Health administrator, said although H1N1 is not a reportable illness unless a patient is hospitalized or dies, the positive Influenza A tests sent to the University of Iowa appear to be the H1N1 virus.

Kroona said Region 1 of the state, which includes Hamilton County, is reporting wide spread influenza.

"The virus seems to be hitting that middle school to high school student age group," Kroona said.

Eva Powers, Webster City school nurse, said that about 10 percent of the district's students have been absent this week. She said that figure includes a variety of illnesses ranging from flu-like symptoms to the common cold.

"If your kids are sick with the flu, please have them stay home from school until 24 hours after they have been fever-free without a fever-reducing medication," Powers advised parents.

She said the district has been pro-active this year in trying to prevent the spread of illness by promoting frequent hand-washing, providing hand sanitizers in the classroom and giving teachers disinfectants to wipe down their rooms.

Powers said that there are some easy ways to prevent the spread of illness, including frequent good hand-washing, sneezing and coughing into a tissue or a sleeve and avoiding sneezing and coughing from the mouth to the hand.

Kroona said that Northeast Hamilton and South Hamilton, at last tally, were near by not above the 10 percent absentee plateau.

According to the Iowa Department of Health Web site, in the past week,the number of Iowa schools with absences due to influenza-like illness is rising. Schools in more than 23 counties had reported to the Department of Public Health that at least 10 percent of their enrollment was absent due to illness. The average percent absent for the schools reporting was 15 percent of students out due to illness.

Hamilton Hospital has also implemented some special precautions to help protect patients and staff from becoming exposed to the flu.

Carla Johnson, infection prevention and patient safety nurse, said cautionary signs have been placed in the entrances of Hamilton Hospital.

"The hospital staff does not recommend that people who have influenza-like symptoms such as a fever of 100 degrees F or greater, a cough or sore throat come to visit patients," Johnson said.

A hygiene center has been placed outside the main entrances for visitors and people coming to receive medical treatment.

"We want all of our patients to be safe and healthy," she said. "The obstetrics department will not all any ill visitors or children age 18 and younger, unless they are siblings. We want to protect the babies and mothers in that department."

All healthcare workers at the hospital had the option to receive the H1N1 vaccine yesterday, she said.

Kroona said her department started H1N1 clinics last week, vaccinating primarily three and four-year-olds throughout the Hamilton County. The CDC has established a high priority list, including pregnant women; household contacts and caregivers for children younger than six months of age, health care and emergency medical services personnel; all people from six months through 24 years of age; and persons ages 25 through 64 years who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza.

Kroona said her department had narrowed down that list due to the limited supply of vaccine that has been trickling in. She said this week, they expanded to include children ages six to 18 years of age with underlying condition. She also commented that appointments for the most recent 100 doses received were completely booked.

Kroona said health officials predict the H1N1 virus will be active through January, at which time the seasonal flu is expected to pick up speed.

For more information, call Hamilton County Public Health at 832-9565.

Contact Anne Blankenship at editor@freemanjournal.net

Contact Carrie Olson at lifestyles@freemanjournal.net