Swine flu sparks fear in county By Andrea Martino The death of a seemingly healthy 20-year-old Escondido woman from swine flu - the first death from the illness in San Diego County - has renewed fears of the spread of the deadly virus. "The virus is out there since April and it will continue," said Dr. Wilma Wooten, the county's public health officer. Wooten urged the public not to panic. Although the flu is new and people have no immunity to it, it is not highly contagious. However, be cautious, she said. Measures recommended to decrease the likelihood of transmission include washing your hands frequently, covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, and avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth. "If you are sick, stay home for at least seven days or until your symptoms have gone away, plus one day," Wooten said. These precautions apply to everyone, even those without medical problems. A medical condition would increase the chance for complications. The main symptoms of influenza H1N1 A virus, as the swine flu is known, are a fever of 104 degrees plus cough or sore throat. Adela Chevalier, who died June 15 from the swine flu, did not have any medical conditions, according to medical officials. She worked at Mountain Shadows, a medical facility for disabled youngsters in Escondido, and the Kentucky Fried Chicken on Nordahl Road in San Marcos. She began showing symptoms on June 12 and went to the emergency room the following day, where she died. Her death showed the virus could be fatal to anyone. Two-thirds of all the H1N1 A virus cases have been seen in people ages 5 to 24 years of age. "Unfortunately, it took the death of a young person to get people's attention," Wooten said. School districts are following cases of the swine flu closely and taking steps to prevent outbreaks. In May, three schools from the San Diego Unified School District closed for a few days after cases were reported on those campuses. District officials continue to monitor the situation. At this time there is no vaccine for the H1N1 A virus. Several pharmaceutical companies are working on the development of a vaccine. It is anticipated that there will a vaccine available in some quantity in the fall, at the same time that there will be vaccines available for the regular seasonal flu. Wooten said, "We have to start planning and face a return of it and it may be possible in a more severe way in the fall." Tamiflu, an oral and antiviral medication that has to be started within 48 hours of the symptoms, doesn't cure the flu but decreases the severity and duration of the illness. If you are well and experience shortness of breath, it is also advised to call your doctor and arrange to be seen and properly evaluated. So far, more than 75 countries have reported 35,928 cases of the H1N1 A virus. In the United States, 22,490 cases were reported with 63 deaths. California has 1,121 confirmed and probable cases of H1N1 associated with eight deaths. In San Diego, 290 cases, with 25 hospitalizations and one death, have been reported. • • • Vox is the newspaper of the 2009 CCNMA-San Diego Multicultural Journalism Workshop. Return to index | See also: Vox on Blogspot