Immediate Release
June 30, 2009
Batavia, Ohio. The Clermont County General Health District has announced the first confirmed case of H1N1in the county; this case involved a 36-year-old man who had mild symptoms and recovered at home without treatment. “Although we have found no other cases linked to this individual, we do expect to see more cases of this illness in the coming days and weeks,” said Clermont County Health Commissioner Marty Lambert. “Influenza can easily spread from person-to-person. Because H1N1 is a new virus, most people will not have immunity to it; however, most reported cases in this country have been mild and do not require medical treatment.”
As of last Friday, there were 27,717 confirmed and probable cases of pandemic H1N1 reported in the United States; there have been 127 deaths in this country. The Centers for Disease Control acknowledges that this is an underestimate of the actual number of cases; the CDC estimates the actual number of H1N1 cases in this country is probably closer to one million.
“Symptoms of H1N1 are similar to seasonal influenza and may include fever, coughing, sore throat, lack of appetite, lethargy, nausea, runny nose, diarrhea, and vomiting,” said Lambert. The virus is spread mainly from person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of those infected. Most people who have been ill with this virus have recovered, most without ever having confirmation that they actually had pandemic H1N1. At this point in the pandemic, whether you are tested and actually diagnosed with H1N1 is less important than what you do if you become sick.
There are simple steps everyone should follow to help prevent the spread of flu:
· 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; alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
· Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread this way.
· Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
· Stay at home if you are sick.
· If you don’t have one yet, consider developing a family emergency plan as a precaution. This should include storing a supply of extra food, medicines, facemasks, and other essential supplies.
For more information on H1N1, visit the Web sites www.cdc.gov and www.ClermontHealthDistrict.org, or call the Clermont General Health District Hotline at (513) 588-5121.
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For additional information about this or other county news, contact Clermont County Communications Director Kathryn Lehr at (513) 732-7597 or by e-mail, klehr@co.clermont.oh.us.