Chicago Preparing for Swine Flu

Though there have been no confirmed cases of swine flu in Chicago to date, health officials say they expect that to change and are gearing up to make sure the city is ready in case of an outbreak.

On Sunday, officials from the Chicago Department of Public Health, the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications and Chicago Public Schools came together to discuss what measures the city is taking to guard against the swine flu, 20 cases of which have already been confirmed in the U.S.

“Like with any situation in Chicago, OEMC has been coordinating across departments to ensure that we are as prepared as we can be,” said OEMC Executive Director Raymond Orozco in a release from the CDPH. “These are precautionary measures and residents should not be alarmed. We just want residents to be informed so they can better prepare themselves and their families.”

CPS CEO Ron Huberman said that public schools will be coordinating health and safety measures with the CDPH and will warn faculty to be on the lookout for possible symptoms of swine flu. He also said CPS will be urging parents to immediately notify a doctor and their child’s school if they observe any unusual patterns of illness, the release said.

While health officials said they do expect swine flu to spread in the U.S. and possibly to the Chicago area, the few cases that have been identified so far in the U.S. have been relatively mild and no fatalities have been reported. City officials say, however, that there is no guarantee that trend will continue and people should take precautions, the release said.

Swine influenza is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by the type A influenza virus. Typically, humans are not infected with swine flu but infections can occur, the release said.

The virus is caught through contact with infected pigs or environments infected with the virus or through contact with a person with swine flu. The virus is not transmitted through eating pork or pork products that have been properly handled and fully cooked, the CDPH release said.

Symptoms of the swine flu are similar to the symptoms of the regular flu, including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu, and, in the past, severe illness and deaths have been reported with swine flu infection.

The CDPH is recommending that all Chicagoans implement some simple steps to help keep themselves and others safe. The department suggests covering your coughs and sneezes, discarding used tissues promptly, washing your hands regularly with soap and warm water and teaching these practices to children. In addition, anyone that feels sick should stay home and get better and not expose themselves to others. Everyone should boost their immune system by eating fresh vegetables and fruit, drinking plenty of water and getting enough sleep, according to the release.

So far, the Centers for Disease Control said there have been 20 confirmed cases of swine flu in the U.S., including eight in New York, seven in California, two each in Texas and Kansas and one in Ohio.

Some cases have also been reported in Canada, and Mexico has reported hundreds of cases of the virus, including some that have led to death.

CDPH has been and will continue to be in contact with suburban health departments, the IDPH and the CDC to monitor the situation and assess how severe typical symptoms have been and how easily the virus may be passed from person to person.