Local health officials say that the World Health Organization's decision to call the strain of influenza a pandemic is because of it's wide-reaching effects, not necessarily because of the number of cases.
The first known case in the area was reported from Altus Air Force Base on May 20. Since that time there have been nine other cases reported in Jackson County.
"None of the cases were serious, and no one was hospitalized," said Keith Reed, acting administrative director for the Jackson County Health Department. "As far as I know, all of those who were diagnosed with H1N1 had recovered before the test results came back verifying they had it," he added.
He also said that there could have been more cases in our area, but not everyone that comes down with flu symptoms go to the doctor, and not everyone that goes to the doctor has tests done for swine flu.
Reed could not give out too much information about the local cases due to confidentiality restrictions, but he did say that some were from Altus Air Force Base, and that only two or three of the 10 cases were linked to each other.
Reed also said that even though there is always a possibility that someone else in our area could come down with H1N1, we are at the end of our seasonal flu season.
"We could see a case here or there during the summer, and it could pick up this fall as we enter the flu season again, but I don't see any reason why the public should be overly worried about catching the H1N1 or other influenza as long as they take regular health precautions such as washing their hands and other tips that are offered on the state website," Reed said.
Even so, with swine flu now an official pandemic, the race is on among drugmakers to produce a vaccine.
GlaxoSmithKline said they will be ready within weeks to begin large-scale vaccine production. Sanofi-Aventis also said it had started working on its own version. On Friday, Swiss pharma giant Novartis announced it had created an experimental vaccine that has not been tested in people. Novartis’ vaccine was made via a cell-based technology that may prove faster than the traditional way of making vaccines, which relies on chicken eggs.
Many rich countries like Britain, Canada and France signed contracts with pharmaceuticals long ago, guaranteeing them access to pandemic vaccine. WHO and others estimate that about 2.4 billion doses of pandemic vaccine could be available in about a year.
So far, swine flu has been mostly detected in developed countries like the United States, Europe, Japan and Australia.
“We do not know how this virus will behave under conditions typically found in the developing world,” WHO chief Dr. Margaret Chan said Thursday. She said the agency expects to see a “bleaker” picture as the virus makes its way to Africa and Asia. About 85 percent of the world’s chronic diseases are found in poorer countries. More than 60 percent of the world’s HIV cases are also in Africa.
The virus might have a more devastating effect in people with underlying health problems. About half of the people who have died from swine flu have had complications like asthma, diabetes, and obesity.
Any population that has health challenges is potentially going to be at higher risk with H1N1.
Although the Oklahoma Health Department no longer offers a Swine Flu hotline, various information about H1N1 and precautions can be found on their website at www.health.state.ok.us.
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