Texas family quarantined after son contracts swine flu

[kelee877]

Mods this can merged to the swine thread when you feel like it;

Texas family quarantined after son contracts swine flu

<LI class=cnnhiliteheader>Story Highlights
Texas teen is one of eight in U.S. diagnosed with swine flu
Teen's family ordered to stay away from public
Dozens in Mexico have died from same strain of swine flu found in U.S.
Officials say new strain has resisted some antiviral drugs
(CNN) -- As Hayden Henshaw was being rushed to the doctor's office after becoming ill, his father heard that his son's classmates had been struck with the deadly swine flu virus like the one sweeping through Mexico.
Patrick Henshaw called his wife immediately to have Hayden checked for it. Later, they received the bad news.
Hayden had become the third confirmed case of swine flu at his Texas high school. It is a virus that has killed 68 people in Mexico and infected at least eight people in the United States.
Health officials arrived at the Henshaws' house Friday and drew blood from the whole family, then told them to stay inside and away from the public, Henshaw told CNN.
The whole family is quarantined indefinitely, according to CNN-affiliate KABB. Henshaw said his family was shocked when they got the news about their son.
"Stunned. My wife was having a panic attack," Henshaw told the affiliate.
U.S. health officials have expressed concern about U.S. cases of a swine flu virus that has similar characteristics to the fatal virus in Mexico (http://topics.cnn.com/topics/mexico).
More than 1,000 people have fallen ill in Mexico City in a short period of time, U.S. health experts said.
"This situation has been developing quickly," Richard Besser, acting director of the Atlanta, Georgia-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said Friday. "This is something we are worried about."
Besser said all of the eight U.S. patients have recovered. http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/img/2.0/mosaic/tabs/video.gifWatch for more on the U.S. cases » (http://cnn.site.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=Texas+family+quarantined+after+son+contracts +swine+flu+-+CNN.com&expire=-1&urlID=401784021&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2009%2FHEALTH%2F04% 2F25%2Fswine.flu.family%2Findex.#cnnSTCVideo)
New York health officials said Friday they were testing about 75 students at a school in New York City for swine flu after the students exhibited flu-like symptoms this week.
A team of state health department doctors and staff went to the St. Francis Preparatory School in the borough of Queens on Thursday after the students reported cough, fever, sore throat, aches and pains.
Test results are expected as early as Saturday.
The new virus has genes from North American swine influenza (http://topics.cnn.com/topics/influenza), avian influenza, human influenza and a form of swine influenza normally found in Asia and Europe, said Nancy Cox, chief of the CDC's Influenza Division.
Swine flu is caused by a virus similar to a type of flu virus that infects people every year but is a strain typically found only in pigs -- or in people who have direct contact with pigs.
There have, however, been cases of person-to-person transmission of swine flu, the CDC said.


http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/25/swine.flu.family/index.html

[kelee877]

The whole family is quarantined indefinitely, according to CNN-affiliate KABB. Henshaw said his family was shocked when they got the news about their son.

[AzProtector]

It would sure be nice to know WHERE in Texas this child and his family are...Texas is a big, big place...and hopefully we have benefit of distance to maintain a certain amount protection...

[garnetgirl]

I think it is in San Antonio - same place as the other two students.

garnetgirl

[firebird]

Any updates on this?

[AzProtector]

I think it is in San Antonio - same place as the other two students.

garnetgirl

That would make sense...If I had enough coffee flowing thru my system I guess I could have figured that out myself...:sad:
Thanks garnetgirl

[kelee877]

Any updates on this?

I have been looking around and so far no updates...

[CWR]

When have they ever gone to your house to draw blood? The CDC is worried.

[AzProtector]

When have they ever gone to your house to draw blood? The CDC is worried.

And they damned well better be...this needs to get nipped in the bud, and NOW.

[NickTX]

I think it is in San Antonio - same place as the other two students.

garnetgirl

Ah hell. My family is from San Antonio...

[AzProtector]

Ah hell. My family is from San Antonio...

As I'm re-reading these stories...the stories seem to be implying that those Americans who WERE affected have now recovered...unless I'm mis-reading it.

But my puker factor is just too high for my comfort...the hospital my wife works at recieved some communications from the CDC...basically a BOLO for flu-like symptoms

[The Flying Dutchman]

As I'm re-reading these stories...the stories seem to be implying that those Americans who WERE affected have now recovered...unless I'm mis-reading it.

But my puker factor is just too high for my comfort...the hospital my wife works at recieved some communications from the CDC...basically a BOLO for flu-like symptoms

AZ;

The problem with the chances of surviving a flu pandemic; is when the hospital ERs become unindated with flu victums.

So long as there is modern treatments, the flu suffer has a good chance of surviving.

It is when there are lines of coughing, fevered patients waiting to be treated. That this flu will begin to extract it's deadly toll...

*As I said on another thread - I called two of my sons last evening to tell them to be on the watch out! They are both on a construction job in San Antonio, Tx.

TFD

=

[kelee877]

As I'm re-reading these stories...the stories seem to be implying that those Americans who WERE affected have now recovered...unless I'm mis-reading it.

But my puker factor is just too high for my comfort...the hospital my wife works at recieved some communications from the CDC...basically a BOLO for flu-like symptoms

Along with the artical..if this Swine Flu were to come in contact with another human/avian different virus it could then mutate again and even become deadlier....:-?




April 24, 2009 / 58 (Dispatch);1-3http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/images/spacer.gifhttp://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/headers_footers/images/spacer.gifhttp://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/images/spacer.gif http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/images/spacer.gif



Update: Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Infections --- California and Texas, April 2009

On April 21, 2009, CDC reported that two recent cases of febrile respiratory illness in children in southern California had been caused by infection with genetically similar swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses. The viruses contained a unique combination of gene segments that had not been reported previously among swine or human influenza viruses in the United States or elsewhere (1 (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5815a5.htm)). Neither child had known contact with pigs, resulting in concern that human-to-human transmission might have occurred. The seasonal influenza vaccine H1N1 strain is thought to be unlikely to provide protection. This report updates the status of the ongoing investigation and provides preliminary details about six additional persons infected by the same strain of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus identified in the previous cases, as of April 24. The six additional cases were reported in San Diego County, California (three cases), Imperial County, California (one case), and Guadalupe County, Texas (two cases). CDC, the California Department of Public Health, and the Texas Department of Health and Human Services are conducting case investigations, monitoring for illness in contacts of the eight patients, and enhancing surveillance to determine the extent of spread of the virus. CDC continues to recommend that any influenza A viruses that cannot be subtyped be sent promptly for testing to CDC. In addition, swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses of the same strain as those in the U.S. patients have been confirmed by CDC among specimens from patients in Mexico. Clinicians should consider swine influenza as well as seasonal influenza virus infections in the differential diagnosis for patients who have febrile respiratory illness and who 1) live in San Diego and Imperial counties, California, or Guadalupe County, Texas, or traveled to these counties or 2) who traveled recently to Mexico or were in contact with persons who had febrile respiratory illness and were in one of the three U.S. counties or Mexico during the 7 days preceding their illness onset.

Case Reports
San Diego County, California. On April 9, an adolescent girl aged 16 years and her father aged 54 years went to a San Diego County clinic with acute respiratory illness. The youth had onset of illness on April 5. Her symptoms included fever, cough, headache, and rhinorrhea. The father had onset of illness on April 6 with symptoms that included fever, cough, and rhinorrhea. Both had self-limited illnesses and have recovered. The father had received seasonal influenza vaccine in October 2008; the daughter was unvaccinated. Respiratory specimens were obtained from both, tested in the San Diego County Health Department Laboratory, and found to be positive for influenza A using reverse transcription--polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), but could not be further subtyped. Two household contacts of the patients have reported recent mild acute respiratory illnesses; specimens have been collected from these household members for testing. One additional case, in a child residing in San Diego County, was identified on April 24; epidemiologic details regarding this case are pending.

Imperial County, California. A woman aged 41 years with an autoimmune illness who resided in Imperial County developed fever, headache, sore throat, diarrhea, vomiting, and myalgias on April 12. She was hospitalized on April 15. She recovered and was discharged on April 22. A respiratory specimen obtained April 16 was found to be influenza A positive by RT-PCR at the San Diego Country Health Department Laboratory, but could not be further subtyped. The woman had not been vaccinated against seasonal influenza viruses during the 2008--09 season. Three household contacts of the woman reported no recent respiratory illness.

Guadalupe County, Texas. Two adolescent boys aged 16 years who resided in Guadalupe County near San Antonio were tested for influenza and found to be positive for influenza A on April 15. The youths had become ill with acute respiratory symptoms on April 10 and April 14, respectively, and both had gone to an outpatient clinic for evaluation on April 15. Identification and tracking of the youths' contacts is under way.
Five of the new cases were identified through diagnostic specimens collected by the health-care facility in which the patients were examined, based on clinical suspicion of influenza; information regarding the sixth case is pending. The positive specimens were sent to public health laboratories for further evaluation as part of routine influenza surveillance in the three counties.

Outbreaks in Mexico
Mexican public health authorities have reported increased levels of respiratory disease, including reports of severe pneumonia cases and deaths, in recent weeks. Most reported disease and outbreaks are reported from central Mexico, but outbreaks and severe respiratory disease cases also have been reported from states along the U.S.-Mexico border. Testing of specimens collected from persons with respiratory disease in Mexico by the CDC laboratory has identified the same strain of swine influenza A (H1N1) as identified in the U.S. cases. However, no clear data are available to assess the link between the increased disease reports in Mexico and the confirmation of swine influenza in a small number of specimens. CDC is assisting public health authorities in Mexico in testing additional specimens and providing epidemiologic support. None of the U.S. patients traveled to Mexico within 7 days of the onset of their illness.

Epidemiologic and Laboratory Investigations
As of April 24, epidemiologic links identified among the new cases included 1) the household of the father and daughter in San Diego County, and 2) the school attended by the two youths in Guadalupe County. As of April 24, no epidemiologic link between the Texas cases and the California cases had been identified, nor between the three new California cases and the two cases previously reported. No recent exposure to pigs has been identified for any of the seven patients. Close contacts of all patients are being investigated to determine whether person-to-person spread has occurred.

Enhanced surveillance for additional cases is ongoing in California and in Texas. Clinicians have been advised to test patients who visit a clinic or hospital with febrile respiratory illness for influenza. Positive samples should be sent to public health laboratories for further characterization. Seasonal influenza activity continues to decline in the United States, including in Texas and California, but remains a cause of influenza-like illness in both areas.
Viruses from six of the eight patients have been tested for resistance to antiviral medications. All six have been found resistant to amantadine and rimantidine but sensitive to zanamivir and oseltamivir.





Reported by: San Diego County Health and Human Svcs; Imperial County Public Health Dept; California Dept of Public Health. Dallas County Health and Human Svcs; Texas Dept of State Health Svcs. Naval Health Research Center; Navy Medical Center, San Diego, California. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Svc, US Dept of Agriculture. Div of Global Migration and Quarantine, National Center for Preparedness, Detection, and Control of Infectious Diseases; National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases; Influenza Div, National Center for Infectious and Respiratory Diseases, CDC.
Editorial Note:

In the United States, novel influenza A virus infections in humans, including swine influenza A (H1N1) infections, have been nationally notifiable conditions since 2007. Recent pandemic influenza preparedness activities have greatly increased the capacity of public health laboratories in the United States to perform RT-PCR for influenza and to subtype influenza A viruses they receive from their routine surveillance, enhancing the ability of U.S. laboratories to identify novel influenza A virus infections. Before the cases described in this ongoing investigation, recent cases of swine influenza in humans reported to CDC occurred in persons who either had exposure to pigs or to a family member with exposure to pigs. Transmission of swine influenza viruses between persons with no pig exposure has been described previously, but that transmission has been limited (2,3). The lack of a known history of pig exposure for any of the patients in the current cases indicates that they acquired infection through contact with other infected persons.

The spectrum of illness in the current cases is not yet fully defined. In the eight cases identified to date, six patients had self-limited illnesses and were treated as outpatients. One patient was hospitalized. Previous reports of swine influenza, although in strains different from the one identified in the current cases, mostly included mild upper respiratory illness; but severe lower respiratory illness and death also have been reported (2,3).

The extent of spread of the strain of swine influenza virus in this investigation is not known. Ongoing investigations by California and Texas authorities of the two previously reported patients, a boy aged 10 years and a girl aged 9 years, include identification of persons in close contact with the children during the period when they were likely infectious (defined as from 1 day before symptom onset to 7 days after symptom onset). These contacts have included household members, extended family members, clinic staff members who cared for the children, and persons in close contact with the boy during his travel to Texas on April 3. Respiratory specimens are being collected from contacts found to have ongoing illness. In addition, enhanced surveillance for possible cases is under way in clinics and hospitals in the areas where the patients reside. Similar investigations and enhanced surveillance are now under way in the additional six cases.

Clinicians should consider swine influenza infection in the differential diagnosis of patients with febrile respiratory illness and who 1) live in San Diego and Imperial counties, California, or Guadalupe County, Texas, or traveled to these counties or 2) who traveled recently to Mexico or were in contact with persons who had febrile respiratory illness and were in one of the three U.S. counties or Mexico during the 7 days preceding their illness onset. Any unusual clusters of febrile respiratory illness elsewhere in the United States also should be investigated.

Patients who meet these criteria should be tested for influenza, and specimens positive for influenza should be sent to public health laboratories for further characterization. Clinicians who suspect swine influenza virus infections in humans should obtain a nasopharyngeal swab from the patient, place the swab in a viral transport medium, refrigerate the specimen, and then contact their state or local health department to facilitate transport and timely diagnosis at a state public health laboratory. CDC requests that state public health laboratories promptly send all influenza A specimens that cannot be subtyped to the CDC, Influenza Division, Virus Surveillance and Diagnostics Branch Laboratory. As a precautionary step, CDC is working with other partners to develop a vaccine seed strain specific to these recent swine influenza viruses in humans.

As always, persons with febrile respiratory illness should stay home from work or school to avoid spreading infections (including influenza and other respiratory illnesses) to others in their communities. In addition, frequent hand washing can lessen the spread of respiratory illness (5). Interim guidance on infection control, treatment, and chemoprophylaxis for swine influenza is available at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swine/recommendations.htm (http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swine/recommendations.htm). Additional information about swine influenza is available at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swine/index.htm (http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swine/index.htm).



http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm58d0424a1.htm

[NickTX]

As I'm re-reading these stories...the stories seem to be implying that those Americans who WERE affected have now recovered...unless I'm mis-reading it.

But my puker factor is just too high for my comfort...the hospital my wife works at recieved some communications from the CDC...basically a BOLO for flu-like symptoms

I will try and contact them later. Its hard to get ahold of them because of the time differences but they know where the panflu kits are at in the garage. I suppose all I can do is hope for the best. =/

[ElGato]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[kelee877]

Ya know, I live a sheltered life. I don't go out much. Every time I ever caught the flu, it came from my kids who caught it at SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!


My kids just might to have to come down with a myserious case of head lice...lol...I have this one planned out for years....

[ElGato]

lol

[travelingirl]

I can see the border being overwhelmed with sick and panicked Mexicans seeking "modern" healthcare. Its gonna get interesting. How many people will be "quarantined" indefinitley thus losing their jobs. I just can see it now, how easy households will be "quarantined" and if you dare come out you will be arrested and sent to a "facility" till the pandemic is eradicated. this all is getting too interesting and the so called tin-foil scenarios can become reality.:shock:

[Is45]

Any updates on this?



I did a search using keyword, Henshaw, but this CCN article
was the only one I found on Google... strange.


~

[Is45]

The whole family is quarantined indefinitely, according to CNN-affiliate KABB. Henshaw said his family was shocked when they got the news about their son.





I found this on KABB news website:

" Health officials say it's a combination of bird, pig and human viruses. At least eight seven cases of Swine Flu have been confirmed in the United States. Three of those are Steele High School students. The latest to test positive is a boy from Schertz, a case confirmed Friday. The Schertz-Cibolo Universal Independent School District called the parents and posted a letter on their website letting everyone know about the confirmed cases. Friday night the Health Department swabbed the entire family of the teenage boy infected in the latest case and quarantined them indefinitely. The Department of State Health Services will hold a public information meeting on Monday, April 27th at 6:30 p.m. at the Steele High School Auditorium.

Posted By: Tiffany Wong "

http://www.kabb.com/


~

[Is45]

I found this on KABB news website:

" Health officials say it's a combination of bird, pig and human viruses. At least eight seven cases of Swine Flu have been confirmed in the United States. Three of those are Steele High School students. The latest to test positive is a boy from Schertz, a case confirmed Friday. The Schertz-Cibolo Universal Independent School District called the parents and posted a letter on their website letting everyone know about the confirmed cases. Friday night the Health Department swabbed the entire family of the teenage boy infected in the latest case and quarantined them indefinitely. The Department of State Health Services will hold a public information meeting on Monday, April 27th at 6:30 p.m. at the Steele High School Auditorium.

Posted By: Tiffany Wong "

http://www.kabb.com/


~



There is also a local news video at this link.


~

[travelingirl]

The Department of State Health Services will hold a public information meeting on Monday, April 27th at 6:30 p.m. at the Steele High School Auditorium.

If the outbreak is among highschool students then why the heck would I attend a public meeting to expose myself to the virus. Moronic:evil:

[Is45]

The Department of State Health Services will hold a public information meeting on Monday, April 27th at 6:30 p.m. at the Steele High School Auditorium.

If the outbreak is among highschool students then why the heck would I attend a public meeting to expose myself to the virus. Moronic:evil:




They have closed the high school.


Swine flu shuts down Steele High


By Don Finley - Express-News

State health officials have closed Steele High School in Cibolo, where two of eight U.S. cases of swine flu attended classes, to halt the spread of the new swine flu virus.

A third student has been listed as a probable case. All three suffered mild illness, with the third student still recovering.

“The purpose is to reduce the risk to students, staff and the community,” said Dr. Sandra Guerra, regional medical director for the Texas Department of State Health Services.

It was unclear how long the school might be closed. Saturday morning one official said at least a week, but health officials were conferring throughout the day.

Health officials also are recommending public gatherings in Guadalupe County be postponed. Bexar County was not included in the recommendations, despite the proximity to San Antonio of the cases.

Anyone with flu like illness and members of their household should stay home and avoid close contact with others, officials said.

Guerra said students should avoid contact with one another while school is out, which “would defeat the purpose” of closing the school to interrupt the spread of the new virus, which has killed as many as 60 people in Mexico and sickened hundreds.

Extracurricular activities at the school have also been cancelled.


http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/Health_officials_close_Cibolos_Steele_High.html



~

[tygerkittn]

I have to wonder, with quarantined families, how many would happen to be preppers? Where will they get food, once theirs runs out, would the gov bring it to them?

[travelingirl]

Is: I wouldn't go within a 1000 yds of that school no matter how "sterilized: they say it is. Naw, just post it on Youtube, I'll watch it from my home!:mrgreen:

[Summerthyme]

I have to wonder, with quarantined families, how many would happen to be preppers? Where will they get food, once theirs runs out, would the gov bring it to them?

For now... they will, I'd suspect.

If this turns into a major outbreak... ain't happening. And that's where we'll end up in major trouble...

We simply have NO real tradition any longer of obeying a government too many don't trust at all. And even those who aren't the tinfoil brigade members are unlikely to take kindly to being told they can't go to the store for cigs, beer, or a new video.

I honestly don't know what they will do if this hits a major city in a very ugly way (sort of like Mexico City, except if the numbers keep increasing).

Quite frankly, the only "practical" options (trying to think like an immoral/amoral government official here, and it's not easy) are... horrific.

Summerthyme (wondering how much the recent ammo shortages have to do with this mess)

[Indiana Jade]

We have had a similar bug floating around where I work. We have many mexican workers who visit home on a regular basis. Now I am noticing that this bug seems to make them sicker than we are and it lasts longer as well. Things that make you go hmmmm.......