Michael Tannebaum/Journal Scene

The anti-viral medicine Tamiflu is one treatment option for the current strain of swine flu, according to Dr. Kathryn Arden, DHEC’s medical director for the tri-county area.

Lowcountry health officials are carefully monitoring a swine flu outbreak that originated in Mexico and has since penetrated the United States.

There were 40 confirmed cases of the virus in the U.S. as of Tuesday morning, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Although there had been no confirmed cases in South Carolina as of Tuesday morning, a school in Newberry was closed Monday when students who recently returned from Mexico exhibited flu-like symptoms.

Twenty-two South Carolina residents were tested for the virus Monday, according to officials with the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, who, as of Tuesday morning, were awaiting the results of the tests.

Even if the results show that none of the residents have the virus, it is unlikely that South Carolina will remain immune, said Dr. Kathryn Arden, DHEC’s medical director for the tri-county area.

“We would be shocked if this didn’t continue to spread,” Arden said. “We expect it to continue and I would be surprised if we don’t see cases (in South Carolina).”

The current strain of flu is comprised of DNA from pigs, birds and humans, according to Arden.

“It’s a new strain of flu that we’ve never seen,” Arden said. “We’ve always known (an outbreak) was a possibility; we just expected it would be avian flu from Asia.”

Nurses in each Dorchester District 2 school are monitoring the situation, said Dr. Toni Capelletti, district health services director.

“There have been no individual reports or trends in any of our schools,” Capelletti said. “Our nurses keep data on the kids and if they were to see any trends such as swine flu, they would notify DHEC immediately.”

Summerville Medical Center has not seen any patients exhibiting flu symptoms; however, they are prepared, said CEO PJ Johnson.

“What we have done is designate a wing of the hospital so that should we notice any influx of flu cases, we would isolate patients,” Johnson said. “It’s all very precautionary but we do have rooms set aside.”

As of Tuesday morning, there had been confirmed cases in California, Kansas, New York, Ohio and Texas as well as in Canada, Spain and Britain, according to the World Health Organization.

Symptoms are similar to those of the common flu and include fever, lack of appetite, coughing and runny nose, according to the World Health Organization.

Antiviral drugs such as tamiflu appear to be an effective means of treating the virus when taken shortly after symptoms present, say DHEC officials.

Two to three weeks would have to pass without any new confirmed cases before Arden would feel confident the virus had run its course.

“Because influenza spreads through casual contact and the air, it can spread pretty quickly,” Arden said. “Be sure to wash your hands often, avoid contact with people who have a fever or respiratory symptoms and stay home if you’re sick.”

Click here to read more about the Swine Flu from Trident Medical Center.

Contact Michael Tannebaum at 873-9424 ext. 215 or mtannebaum@journalscene.com

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