The first case of swine flu has been confirmed in Lewis and Clark County.
The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services confirmed the case of H1N1 flu, or swine flu.
According to Beth Cottingham, RN, at the Lewis and Clark City-County Health Department, the patient is doing well and is recovering.
The symptoms of H1N1 flu are similar to the symptoms of regular flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported elsewhere in the nation and in other countries. Like seasonal flu, H1N1 flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.
The virus can be spread when a person touches a surface that has the virus on it and then touches his or her eyes, nose or mouth.
To lessen the chances of getting influenza, public health officials recommend the following:
- Wash your hands. Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs.
- Avoid close contact with sick people.
- Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose of mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Practice good health habits. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.
- Stay home when you are sick. If you are sick, stay home and limit your contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others.
“Currently we do not have a vaccine yet for the H1N1 flu,”
Cottingham said, “We can’t stress enough the importance of practicing preventive measures — washing your hands, avoiding sick people, covering your mouth and nose when you cough, and practicing good health habits can help defend against getting sick.”
