UPDATE ON CASES: DPH is now confirming cases at 11:00 a.m. daily. This morning DPH confirmed 11 additional cases in Massachusetts, which brings the total case count to 45. Each of the new cases is expected to fully recover and none of the cases is currently hospitalized. The age range of cases is 2 to 57.
While there is no vaccine for this flu strain, there are important steps that everyone can take to help prevent getting or spreading any type of influenza:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
- Practice good "cough etiquette" by coughing or sneezing into a tissue, or into your elbow instead of into your hands.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
- If you get sick, stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to avoid infecting them.
Massachusetts residents can call (2-1-1) for basic information about swine flu. Updated information can always be found at http://www.mass.gov/dph/swineflu.
The attached document does not have the column for Symptom 0nset.Can you add this column to the document .It is informational
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Suzanne Crowther responds: Thanks for your request. Unfortunately, due to concerns about privacy, the symptom onset can no longer be shared publicly. However, our Epidemiologists and Labratorians are working very closely with the affected schools and local boards on the cases that affect their community.
Posted by: Mike James | May 06, 2009 at 03:21 PM