May 12, 2009

The Florida Flu Information Line is
1-800-775-8039
Hotline available from 8am - 8pm

All four Department of Health laboratories have received testing supplies from the Centers for Disease Control and now can test samples to confirm H1N1 Swine Flu. This testing capability allows the Department to expedite results as we no longer need to send probable cases to CDC laboratories.

Florida has 56 confirmed cases in the following counties: one in Osceola, Alachua, Indian River, Marion, Clay, Collier, Lake, Manatee,  Flagler,  Seminole, Okeechobee, and Duval, two in Orange, Brevard and Sarasota, 3 in Pinellas, 7 in Lee, 8 in Hillsborough, and 10 in Dade and Broward each.       

New confirmed case:    

Flagler: a 51 year-old female

We have 3 probable cases in the following counties:    

Palm Beach has one probable and Okaloosa has 2.   

CDC no longer recommends that communities with a laboratory confirmed case of influenza A H1N1 consider adopting school dismissal or childcare closure measures. 

A public health emergency was declared by the State Surgeon General. 

A toll free information line has been established for Swine Flu information. The number is 1-800-775-8039.

  Current Situation

Samples are being received by Florida Department of Health Laboratories for analysis from physicians and hospitals across the state. 

The Department of Health continues enhanced surveillance and outreach to physicians, hospitals and other health care professionals. The surveillance system, consisting of sentinel physicians reporting influenza activity, DOH laboratories receiving specimens from physicians and hospitals and our ability to monitor emergency room cases and over- the-counter drug sales is fully operational. We have activated our response plan and are ready to respond to any cases of swine flu if it should occur.  

Department of Health continues its enhanced surveillance with a network of Sentinel Physician Providers.  These providers send selected samples of laboratory specimens to state laboratories for testing if they have patients with influenza like illness (ILI).  These physicians also continue to report weekly ILI cases to the Department of Health.

Anti-virals have been pre-positioned to areas of potential need.  We have one half million individual courses.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 109 confirmed cases of novel influenza in the United States, with one death in a twenty-three month old.

The World Health Organization (WHO) alert level remains at Phase 5.  The declaration of a Phase 5 is a strong signal that the pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short.

Participation in Centers for Disease Control and other national conference calls will continue.

Precautions

The State Surgeon General provided these recommendations:

• People with respiratory illness should stay home from work or school to avoid spreading infections, including influenza, to others in the community.

• Avoid close contact with people who are coughing or otherwise appear ill.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

• Wash hands frequently to lessen the spread of respiratory illness.

• People experiencing cough, fever and fatigue, possibly along with diarrhea and vomiting, should contact their physician.

• If you think you have influenza, please call your health care provider and discuss whether you need to be seen in their office, emergency department or stay home.

Duval County Health Department
900 University Blvd. N.
Jacksonville, FL 32211
253-1000

Copyright ©  2003 Duval County Health Department. All rights reserved.