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City of Sanibel currently monitoring swine flu

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The City of Sanibel Emergency Managers continue to monitor the H1N1 flu (swine flu) situation and are maintaining communication with the Lee County Health Department and the Florida Department of Health. At this time, a Florida toll-free number has been established (1-800-775-8039) to answer questions regarding the swine flu.

The City of Sanibel recommends residents and visitors monitor the following Web sites for the latest information on the swine flu:

Lee County Health Department – http://www3.leegov.com/healthdept/

Florida Department of Health – http://www.doh.state.fl.us/bulletins.html

Centers for Disease Control – http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/

Twitter Links (Posted by CDC) – http://twitter.com/BirdFluGov

At this time, there is a single confirmed case of swine flu in Lee County. According to the Florida Department of Health, the symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with the swine flu. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.

Sanibel residents and visitors should continue their day to day routine while practicing the following precautionary and preventative measures recommended by Sanibel Emergency Managers:

Wash hands regularly for at least 20 seconds with an anti-bacterial soap and hot water.

Avoid touching your mouth, nose and/or eyes with your hands

Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough

Avoid contact with persons who have flu or flu-like symptoms

People with respiratory illness should stay home from work or school to avoid spreading infections, including influenza, to others in the community

If you have a fever, cough, body aches and/or other flu-like symptoms, see your health care provider and avoid contact with other people

For questions regarding this news release, contact the Sanibel Police Department Emergency Management at 472-3111.

Source: City of Sanibel