Top Florida Doc on Swine Flu: 'Don't Panic'
Surgeon General urges caution in Florida
By BRIAN HAMACHER
Updated 2:45 PM EST, Wed, Apr 29, 2009
State health officials are analyzing flu samples and urging residents to take precaution though Florida has yet to confirm any cases of swine flu.
The number of nationwide cases jumped to 91 across 10 states today, with the first swine flu fatality striking in Texas, where a 23-month-old boy from Mexico died after traveling across the border.
Florida Surgeon General Ann Viamonte Ros reassured the public earlier today that there were no swine flu cases in Orlando or anywhere else in the state, and reminded residents to stay calm.
"We should never panic...you're concerned and you act accordingly but you never panic," Viamonte Ros said.
At the same time, Viamonte Ros cautioned residents to take every measure to protect against the virus.
"If you're sick, stay home. If you have a child who's sick, make sure that that child stays home," Viamonte Ros said. "Maintain regular personal hygiene...to protect yourself and those around you from getting sick."
In South Florida, a hotline has been set up at Miami Children's Hospital to quell parents' fears, as officials at the hospital say they've been swamped with nervous parents worried about their kids.
"Just alone yesterday we tested about 170-something kids for regular influenza," Dr. Deisi Granado-Villar said.
First Published: Apr 29, 2009 12:34 PM EST
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