H1N1 Flu (Swine) Information

Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers offers the following H1N1 (swine) flu information.

The symptoms of H1N1 flu are similar to other strains of flu and include: fever, headache, tiredness, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, diarrhea and vomiting.

If you are sick, you may be ill for a week or longer. The Centers for Disease Control suggests that you stay home and avoid contact with other persons. If you leave the house to seek medical care, you should wear a mask or cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue. In general, you should avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness.

The CDC expects that most people will recover from H1N1 flu without needing medical care. However, if you have severe illness or if you are at high risk for flu complications, you should contact your health care provider or seek medical care. Your health care provider will determine whether flu testing or treatment is needed. Antiviral drugs can be given to treat those who become severely ill with influenza.

If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care. In children, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

Fast breathing or trouble breathing
Bluish skin color
Not drinking enough fluids
Not waking up or not interacting
Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
Fever with a rash

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
Sudden dizziness
Confusion
Severe or persistent vomiting

The Illinois Department of Public Health has established a hotline where operators are available from 6 a.m.-10 p.m. daily to answer basic, non-medical questions and refer callers to additional information sources. The Illinois Department of Public Health's hotline number is 866-848-2094.

We remind you that there are everyday steps you can take to protect your health.

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and then throw away the tissue in the trash.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
If you have flu symptoms, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

Additional information is available through these website links:

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