FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

ORLANDO, FL – In the wake of the recent nationwide public health emergency declaration by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in response to recent human infections with a newly discovered swine influenza A (swine flu) virus, the Florida College of Emergency Physicians (FCEP) wants Florida’s citizens and visitors to be aware of the facts about the swine flu.

Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza among pigs. Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans; however, human infections with swine flu do occur, and cases of human-to-human spread of swine flu viruses have been documented.

To date, there have been 40 confirmed cases of swine Influenza A (swH1N1) in California, Texas, Kansas, New York, and Ohio, but none to date in Florida. No deaths in the U.S. have been reported due to the illness. Of the 40 confirmed U.S. cases, 28 have been in New York City. Additional cases of the virus have been confirmed in Mexico and Canada.

“The Florida College of Emergency Physicians is monitoring the current situation in regards to the U.S. swine flu outbreak,” said FCEP President Ernest Page II, MD, FACEP. “We want to stress that so far there have been no confirmed cases in Florida. We will be maintaining contact with the CDC and our national organization so that Florida's emergency departments are prepared in case of an outbreak in our state.”

The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu in humans and may include:
     • Fever (greater than 100°F or 37.8°C)
     • Sore throat
     • Cough
     • Stuffy nose
     • Chills
     • Headache and body aches
     • Fatigue

Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. Severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with swine flu infection in people. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions. In most cases, the illness should subside on its own, however, FCEP recommends seeking emergency medical care if you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs:

I. In children:
     • Fast breathing or trouble breathing
     • Bluish skin color
     • Not drinking enough fluids
     • Not waking up or not interacting
     • Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
     • Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
     • Fever with a rash

II. In adults:
     • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
     • Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
     • Sudden dizziness
     • Confusion
     • Severe or persistent vomiting

Prevention Tips:
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
• If you get sick, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and FCEP recommend that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

If you think you are ill with flu, avoid close contact with others as much as possible. Stay at home or in your hotel room. Do not go to work, school, or travel while ill. If you live in areas where swine influenza cases have been identified and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea, you may want to contact your primary health care provider, particularly if you are worried about your symptoms. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed.

The public health emergency declaration is available at:
www.hhs.gov/secretary/phe_swh1n1mhtml. For information on swine flu, visit www.cdc.gov/swineflu.

The Florida College of Emergency Physicians (FCEP) represents more than 1,200 emergency physicians in the state of Florida. FCEP members represent the health care safety net of Florida’s residents and visitors. More than seven million patients seek care annually in Florida emergency departments. FCEP was founded on Oct. 15, 1971 and is headquartered in Orlando.
 

- FCEP -