Suspected Influenza Type B Outbreak in Swanquarter, North Carolina

[Ian David]

GLIDE Number: AP-20070215-9913-USA
Date / time: 15/02/2007 19:02:27
Event: Epidemic
Area: North-America
Country: USA
State/County: State of North Carolina
City: Swanquarter
Number of Deads: None or unknow
Number of Injured: None or unknow
Damage level: Minor

Description:
Three schools closed until Monday because of an outbreak of flu-like symptoms, an official said Thursday. All 541 students were told to stay home Wednesday through Friday after attendance dropped 20 percent early in the week, said school system spokeswoman Carol Evans.

Some students had symptoms of influenza Type B. Hyde County's health director recommended the closings "to give these students a break to get to the doctor and to stay home and quit passing the germs back and forth," Evans said.

Evans said he didn't recall any previous school closings for illness. "I've been here 32 years and I don't remember shutting down for illness," Evans said. "We've had to shut down for boiler problems, hurricanes and flooding."

More:
http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert_read.php?lang=eng&id=9913

[kestrel91316]

1. More on influenza here:

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/flu-viruses.htm

Last year nearly 20% of influenza cases were due to Type B rather than Type A influenza. It's just one of the many flu viruses.

No reason to panic. Nothing unusual as far as I can tell.

Of course, for the hysterical anti-science, anti-CDC, anti-vaccine folks I have this to say: you just go right on thinking flu is caused by demons or corporate conspiracies...........and DON'T EVER GET FLU SHOTS!!!!!!!!!

[Art_from_Ark]

2. And don't get swine flu shots, either

[kestrel91316]

4. I got the swine flu shot in college. It was unremarkable.

[Art_from_Ark]

5. And I didn't get one

but I never got the swine flu.

Some people might need flu shots, but others can get along just fine without them.

[madrchsod]

3. you mean it is`t? dam i`m glad i read your post..

when i did work i got free shots and never got really sick.