City of Sanibel Monitors H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)

At this time, a Florida toll-free number has been established (800) 775-8039 to answer questions regarding the swine flu.

The City of Sanibel recommends residents and visitors monitor the following websites for the latest information on the swine flu:

• Lee County Health Department http://www3.leegov.com/healthdept/
• Florida Department of Health http://www.doh.state.fl.us/bulletins.html
• Centers for Disease Control http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/
• Twitter Links (Posted by CDC) http://twitter.com/BirdFluGov

Click here to view the weekly Florida Department of Health Influenza A (H1N1) surveillance report which includes the number of Lee County confirmed cases and deaths. According to the Florida Department of Health, the symptoms of Swine Flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with the swine flu. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.

Sanibel residents and visitors should continue their day to day routine while practicing the following precautionary and preventative measures recommended by Sanibel Emergency Managers:

• Wash hands regularly for at least 20 seconds with an anti-bacterial soap and hot water.
• Avoid touching your mouth, nose and/or eyes with your hands
• Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough
• Avoid contact with persons who have flu or flu-like symptoms
• People with respiratory illness should stay home from work or school to avoid spreading infections, including influenza, to others in the community
• If you have a fever, cough, body aches and/or other flu-like symptoms, see your health care provider and avoid contact with other people

For questions regarding this news release, please contact the Sanibel Police Department Emergency Management at (239) 472-3111.