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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Congressman Dent Urges Precautions to Combat Swine Flu

As Mexico's swine flu death toll soars to 149, should we be concerned? We know it is spreading fast, so here's a few details. LV Congressman Charlie Dent reports that about forty Americans have been infected so far, with no fatalities.

Symptoms: “The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. In the past, 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.”

For the latest updates and information about this outbreak, check out the CDC's swine flu web page.

“Obviously we need to be concerned any time there is a disease outbreak, but through effective action and good common sense we can protect ourselves and our families, and help contain the outbreak,” Congressman Dent said. “Given my home district’s proximity to New York, where numerous cases have been reported, I advise people to avoid panic but take precautions.”
Update: Northampton County Executive John Stoffa states there are no LV cases of swine flu, but warns "If it's in New York City, chances are we are going to get it here."

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Citing the geographic proximity of cases in NYC demonstrates a lack of understanding about how these illnesses are spread. John needs to do some reading.

Anonymous said...

State # of laboratory
confirmed cases
California 7 cases
Kansas 2 cases
New York City 28 cases
Ohio 1 case
Texas 2 cases
TOTAL COUNT 40 cases

Bernie O'Hare said...

Anon 6:42,

The purpose of this post was prmarily to inform readers, not play politics. The possibility of a pandemic is something to consider seriously. The geographic proximirty of mexico led to the disease's spread to the US, where cases where first reported in California and Texas. The geographic proximity of NYC presents the real possibility that we will see the disease here. This observation was made by John Stoffa, Congressman Dent and the Pa. Dep't of Health.

Prepare for the worst, hope for the best, and drop the politics for once.

Anonymous said...

Call it the O"Hare Flu. Why give pigs a bad name?

Anonymous said...

If Stoffa would have fufilled his Campaign promise and not drag his feet on the Health Board appointments we would have a Regional Health Agency. Instead people in Northampton County are a risk and he uses this as a cheap publicity story about him and Conklin.
Maybe one day we will have an objective media and not a fan club.

Bernie O'Hare said...

The purpose of this post is primarily to inform readers and provide that widget w/ swine flu information.

I refuse to respond her to the petty and mean-spirited attempts to politicize a serious matter.