***ALERT***Swine Flu Update - Tuesday, April 28. 2009

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Swine Flu Update

The Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office in coordination with the Wakulla County Health Department and State partners continue to monitor the situation.  The County EOC is monitoring the situation and conducting coordination calls with Team partners on the local, state and federal levels.

Public health officials within the United States and throughout the world are investigating outbreaks of swine influenza (swine flu).   Public health officials have determined that this strain of swine flu virus spreads from human to human and can cause illness.

The outbreak is ongoing and additional cases are expected.  For more information concerning swine flu infection, please see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/.  For specific information on travel precautions and an update on the affected areas, please visit: www.cdc.gov/travel.

Florida has prepared for influenza events:

*       The State and Wakulla County Emergency Management is monitoring the situation and conducting coordination calls with Team partners on the local, state and federal levels.
*       All state laboratories have the facilities to safely identify influenza samples.
*       The state has almost 100 sentinel physicians – local doctors in communities across the state who report any unusual influenza like activity to DOH and the CDC.
*       The State has the ability to monitor the sale of over the counter drugs, as an early warning sign for increased influenza activity.
*       Florida is receiving frequent updates from the CDC, and is working with local health departments to monitor the situation and immediately follow up on any suspected cases.