Sacramento, Calif., airport taking precautions against swine flu

April 27, 2009 in Uncategorized

by chelsea phua, The Sacramento Bee

SACRAMENTO, Calif. _ Sacramento International Airport in California is taking extra precautions in the wake of at least eight swine flu cases identified in California and Texas, an airport official said Saturday.

An outbreak of the virus has killed dozens of people in Mexico and forced Mexico City to close schools, museums, libraries and theaters. There have been no deaths reported in the U.S. as a result of the flu outbreak.

At the Sacramento airport, custodians have been advised to be more vigilant and use gloves and other protective wear, said spokeswoman Gina Swankie.

Airport staff members have also been familiarizing themselves with an action plan in the event health authorities declare a pandemic of the flu virus.

“We are prepared,” Swankie said.

The action plan includes making available breathing masks for people on flights where passengers may possibly be infected, and separating infected individuals from the rest of the airport population.

Hand sanitizers are already available throughout the airport, Swankie said. They can be found near the baggage claim area in Terminal A, the lobby waiting area of the international building, the lower floor of Terminal B, and near the food areas.

U.S. health officials urge travelers to take precautions and frequently wash their hands, but have stopped short of telling Americans to avoid Mexico.

In California, health authorities have confirmed six cases of the swine flu, including two children _ a 9-year-old Imperial County girl and a 10-year-old San Diego County boy. The two counties border Mexico.

According to a news release on the state’s Department of Public Health’s Web site, the children became ill with a unique strain of the virus that has never before been identified in the United States. The strain combines genetic material from pigs, birds and humans.

The two children have fully recovered and were not hospitalized.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s office released information on Friday outlining measures to contain a spread of the virus.

They include dispatching influenza experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to Southern California, state public health and other local health departments. Officials have also expanded public health laboratory testing for potential flu specimens and increased surveillance statewide for patients with flu-like illness.

Swine influenza is a respiratory disease of the pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks in pigs. There is a low death rate in pigs that become infected. Most outbreaks among swine usually occur during the late fall and winter. The flu does not normally infect humans, but in sporadic cases people have been infected when they come into direct contact with pigs.

The virus is contagious among humans.

The symptoms are similar to those of regular flu: fever, cough, fatigue and lack of appetite.

Health officials are advising steps to prevent infection:

_ Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and dispose of the tissue in the trash.

_ Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-base hand cleaners are also effective.

_ Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

If you are sick with flu, stay home from work or school and limit contact with other people. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

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(c) 2009, The Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, Calif.).