Local health officials

ready for swine flu

The swine flu is dominating headlines but it's still a long way from the Boone area.

Appalachian District Health Department is issuing a public health advisory regarding the current swine flu cases in the United States. As of Tuesday morning, the Centers for Disease Control reported 68 cases confirmed in the United States in California, Kansas, New York City, Ohio, and Texas.

According to the Watauga County Health Department, human infection with flu viruses from pigs, such as the swine flu, are most likely to occur when people are in close proximity to infected pigs, but can also happen when a person comes in contact with the swine flu virus.

This is thought to happen the same way as seasonal flu occurs in people, which is mainly person-to-person transmission through coughing or sneezing of people infected with the influenza virus. Swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food and pork products.

Beth Fornadley, health educator at the Watauga County Health Department, said all local health departments are in contact with the state, and all have pandemic flu plans that have been recently reviewed. The state also has a surveillance program.

The most important strategies for prevention are covering nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing and washing hands consistently.

"There are no confirmed cases in North Carolina at this time," Fornadley said.