News
The H1N1 flu virus is in the county
Scott Wagar
01/07/2014
In this year’s flu season, the North Dakota Department of Health has registered 58 cases of Type A, 2009 H1N1 (or pH1N1) influenza in the state of North Dakota, of which two of the 58 cases are in Bottineau County.
“We are up to 394 total (cases of flu) for the season,” said Jill Baber, the influenza and syndromic surveillance coordinator for the North Dakota Department of Health in Bismarck. “Most of the cases (all but one) that have been genetically types have been the pH1N1. So, we know that it’s definitely the predominated strain this season. We are seeing more cases in younger adults than during a typical flu season, which is to be expected for pH1N1.”
Baber stated that symptoms for the H1N1 flu are distinctive to a typical flu virus, and include a fever, sore throat, cough, body aches, headache and general malaise.
“The only difference is that there is a small subset of people who will also experience GI symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting as well,” Baber said. “Normally, vomiting is only seen in young children with the flu, but diarrhea and vomiting are possible with a small percentage of all age groups for H1N1.”
H1N1 is the flu virus that caused a world-wide pandemic in 2009. It is commonly called the swine flu because in 2009 the virus was similar to those found in pigs.
Since the 2009 pandemic, H1N1 has become a seasonal flu, meaning the genetic make-up of the 2009 strain is different from the H1N1 we see today.
Baber said that individuals shouldn’t have deep concerns about the H1N1 strain like people did in 2009, but individuals should take safety measures at the same time to protect oneself.
“It is not going to be as dangerous as when it was a novel strain. It has been circulating in low numbers since the pandemic. It is also in the normal vaccine now, so we don’t have to wait for a vaccine to come out, and anyone who is getting the flu shot is getting a pH1N1 shot. So, overall, it is unlikely that we will see as large of an impact as we did in 2009-10,” Baber said. “Probably the biggest concern with this strain is that you see those occasional serious infections in the young to middle age people more often. In addition to the fact that this group has the lowest vaccination rates, serious disease in this age usually very health age group can be scary for the public to hear about.
“So, I think you get heightened awareness, even when the disease itself is not that much more serious,” Baber added. “For instance, we have more cases in North Dakota last year, an H3 year, than we did during the pandemic. On the other hand, it never hurts to take precautions.”
Barber stated that since the H1N1 strain is part of this year’s flu shot, it is the best way for individuals to protect themselves from this strain.
“This strain is in the vaccine, so the vaccination is helpful and still recommended,” Barber said. “In addition, we recommend hand washing, that people stay home when they are ill to prevent spread and that people should take all their antivirals if they are prescribe to them.”
Individuals, who want to get the flu shot, should get it as soon as possible because it takes two weeks before the vaccine will begin to protect individuals.