Swine flu hits Dodge County

The initial fear was originally caused by the speed of contamination and infection, but since medical personnel have had time to study H1N1 they have found many effective treatments for early progressions of the virus. The new H1N1 strain is a “reassortment” of three already present influenza strains, one coming from humans, one from birds, and two from pigs.
The danger of this virus was its element of surprise. The website, www.disabled-world.com warns, “If an influenza virus changes and becomes a new strain against which people have little or no immunity, and this new strain is easily spread from person to person.” However since the virus has been identified and studied the statistics are increasingly positive.
“In the U.S. it appears that for every 1,000 people who get infected, about 40 people need admission to a hospital and about one person dies”, states Crikey Magazine.
Since the original discovery, there have been 24 confirmed cases of H1N1 at Eastman Pediatrics alone. Dr. Johnny Peeples, senior medical practitioner at Eastman Pediatrics, strongly advises everyone to frequently wash hands and to rest alone at home at the sign of any symptom of influenza in order to stop the start of a possible epidemic especially now that school is back in and communicable diseases can be easily spread through children.
Dr. Peeples believes this to be “just the beginning” and the future of the disease in Dodge County remains to be seen. However, it is up to every individual to protect themselves and seek treatment in order to keep the disease under control.