Saturday, July 18, 2009

Oregon: 13 people hospitalized for flu symptoms

7/17 4:40 pm

Springfield (KMTR) - 13 people are hospitalized for flu symptoms at Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield.

So far, only one of the 13 patients has tested positive for swine flu, otherwise known as the H1N1 virus. Test results are pending on the others. The patients range in age from 14 months to 62 years of age. Five of them are in the intensive care unit being treated for pneumonia.

One local health official says it's unusual to see a cluster of flu cases like this during the month of July. Betsy Meredith from Lane County Public Health has some advice for patients with flu-like symptoms. "They should stay home for seven days after the onset of symptoms or 24 hours after the fever has dropped, whichever is longer."

If you do feel symptoms coming on, health officials urge you to call your doctor. Do not go to the hospital.

hat-tip thebes

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