The Montana Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed the state's first cases of influenza Type A: a 9-year-old boy in Gallatin County and a teenage girl in Cascade County.
Other counties likely are infected, but have not reported confirmed cases.
And by the time flu season ends next spring, about 20 percent of us will have been hit hard by fever and fatigue, headache, body ache, cough and sore throat.
That's according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where the experts warn there's no good cure to the annual epidemic.
There are, however, several ways to slow the spread.
The first half of that public health mantra - hygiene - is essentially mother's advice. Cover your cough. Wash your hands. Keep your finger out of your nose. Stay home when you're sick.
The second half - vaccine - is still available and effective, despite the fact that the season of sickness is upon us.
A flu shot is recommended for most everyone, and is available at your local health clinic, doctor's office or public health department. Cost is usually under $20, and discounts often are available for those who otherwise could not afford the immunization.
It is a cheap and effective method of prevention, Bishop says, and does much to mitigate the viral epidemic that kills more than 35,000 Americans each year and hospitalizes some 200,000 more.
Last year, the CDC reported about 120 million flu shots were distributed throughout the country. This year, they estimate manufacturers produced upward of 132 million doses.
That's in addition to the relatively newer nasal spray, which is useful but not recommended for kids under 2 or adults over 49.
Once infected, some patients turn to anti-viral drugs, which can shorten the misery and abate some symptoms. This year, though, the CDC recommends only Tamiflu and Relenza among the prescription anti-virals, as the rest have been rendered ineffective by viral evolution and drug resistance.
Researchers report that we're infectious a full day before we feel the symptoms, and for a week after that. Mostly, the effects are short-lived - a week or two at most - but on occasion influenza leads to more serious complications.
At the height of the 2006 season, CDC reported about
8 percent of all deaths in the nation were traced back to flu and its complications, such as pneumonia.
Reporter Michael Jamison can be reached at 1-800-366-7186 or at mjamison@missoulian.com
Need a shot?
County health department contacts in western Montana:
- Missoula County:
258-4750
- Flathead County:
751-8110
- Lake County: 883-7288
- Lincoln County:
293-7781, extension 4
- Mineral County: 822-3564
- Sanders County:
827-6925
- Ravalli County: 375-6670
|
 |
 |
Add your comment now! Write your comment in the form below.
(Email address is for verification only. If you'd like to email a story, look for the link above)