The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Swine flu cases drop off locally

OVI checkpoint slated Friday
5:43 p.m.
Birth control mandate causing major stir
11:38 a.m.
Legal experts analyze verdict in fatal hit-skip trial
11:33 a.m.
Ohio agrees to mortgage settlement deal
9:26 a.m.
450 new jobs could come to Springfield airport
8:22 a.m.
> More headlines

By Kelly Mori, Staff Writer Updated 7:10 PM Friday, July 3, 2009

SPRINGFIELD — Summer vacation appears to have halted the local spread of swine flu.

Clark County health officials this week said the county has reported no new cases of the Swine flu virus since late May.

The county had a sudden rash of cases among school students just before classes let out for the summer. The six cases involved teens between the ages of 12 and 15 and one 25 year old. The students attended Northridge Middle School and Shawnee High School.

Champaign County also has had no cases, said Shelia Hiddleson, Champaign County health commissioner.

“We’ve tested two from the county and both came back negative,” she said.

The state is still testing for the Swine flu virus, “but we’ve just not had any requests for testing,” said Anita Biles, health educator for the health district.

The ages of those infected locally follow a recently released theory that older individuals might have immunity to the illness.

The report, published in the medical journal, Lancet, suggested that people who were exposed to the “Russian Flu” in late 1970s might have immunity to this latest version of the Swine flu virus.

A similar pattern was shown in the late 1970 with people who had not been exposed to the 1946 or 1957 strains of the Swine flu.

The World Health Organization declared a worldwide epidemic in late June.

It is hard to tell if summer vacation travel will cause the swine flu to make a return visit to the area, however Biles urged residents to continue to be diligent when they travel.

“Our message is still hand washing — that’s our number one prevention,” Biles said. “Make sure you’re washing your hands regularly. Carry hand sanitizer with you — especially when you’re traveling.”

Staff writer Matt Sanctis contributed to this report.

A glossary of wine flu terms and the latest developements.

SpringfieldNewsSun.com/go/health

Share this article