Health Officials Announce Probable Cases of H1N1, Arrival of More Vaccine

By Stan Matthews, County Communications Program Manager

San Juan County Health officials have announced that there are three cases of probable H1N1 influenza on San Juan Island and one on Orcas. The case on Orcas and at least two of the cases on San Juan Island are 11 and 12 year olds. All were found positive by a clinical “quick test” for influenza type A. San Juan County Health Officer Dr. Frank James said that a positive quick test has been shown to indicate H1N1 influenza approximately 98% of the time,.

He added that negative test results are not considered reliable and he suspects that other cases of H1N1 have escaped detection.

A San Juan County public nurse reported that the young woman who tested positive on Orcas had initially suffered from nausea, vomiting and diarrhea and was thought to have a stomach virus, but after an initial improvement she got worse on Tuesday, suffering fever and a cough.

The first San Juan Island case, an 11-year-old boy, was taken to the doctor Monday complaining of a cough, mild fever, headache and sore throat. Less information is available about the other two cases; at this point, however, none of the cases has been considered serious enough to require hospitalization.

“These test results simply confirm what we already knew,” said Dr. James. “H1N1 influenza is out there. This is just a further indication of how important it is for anyone who feels ill to stay home and rest – not only for the benefit of their own health, but for the health of the whole community.”

San Juan County’s supply of H1N1 vaccine got a modest boost today, as two small shipments arrived at the County Health and Community Services Department. The new supply includes 200 doses of injectible vaccine, suitable for the most at-risk population, and 100 additional doses of the nasally administered vaccine which is suitable for young children and otherwise healthy young adults, but not pregnant women or people with chronic illnesses or health problems.

The quantities on hand are still considered limited and are being given first to groups considered to have the highest health risks and the highest risk of contracting and spreading the disease. The groups now being given priority are:

• Pregnant women
• Caregivers of children less than six months
• Children 6 months through 4 years (pre-school population)
• Children 5 years through 24 years with chronic illness (school age children)
• Health care workers and EMS with direct patient care

The County Health and Community Services Department expects to receive regular shipments of vaccine and will broaden the groups eligible to receive it as the quantity available increases.

Information on the availability of the vaccines, including contact information for clinics and providers that are giving vaccinations, is being updated regularly on the County website at: https://sanjuanco.com/flu/h1n1vaccine.aspx.