Wash hands to prevent swine flu

For the third-time since World War I — in light of recent deaths in Mexico and cases confirmed across the globe — many Americans have become concerned with the possibility of a swine flu epidemic.

Type A influenza, sometimes called the Spanish flu or swine flu, killed more than 50 million people worldwide in 1918, shortly after soldiers returned from a war that killed about 50,000 U.S. soldiers. The swine flu reappeared in this country in 1976 causing widespread panic after the death of one soldier and severe respiratory distress for 13 other soldiers at Fort Dix, N.J., according to information provided on the national Center for Disease Controls’ web site.

However, this time around, although there is a national restriction for people traveling to Mexico except when necessary, health officials are urging people to not panic, use normal cleanliness practices, stay home from school or work if sick with a cough and fever, and get a flu shot. Although it is not known if the flu shots currently given would prevent influenza A.

As of Wednesday, there had been 91 confirmed cases of swine flu in this nation, and 14 in California.

The first swine flu death on American soil was reported in Houston Monday, a 22-month-old Mexican child who was in this country for medical treatment.

However, it has otherwise been a very mild illness here — unlike in Mexico, where numerous people have died — and there have been no confirmed cases of the swine flu in Los Angeles County, said Laurene Macola, director of the county Department of Public Health’s Acute Communicable Disease Control.

Although there was talk earlier this week of lifting the national restriction for travel to Mexico, travel to that country should be avoided, unless necessary, Macola said, adding that all cases of the illness reported in the United States have been linked to recent travel to Mexico.

That’s important to note for La Cañadans and in other affluent communities, where youths have recently been to spring break destinations in Mexico, said Macola, who lives in La Cañada.

Macola reiterated that it’s important to wash hands frequently, and stay home from work or school if one has flu-like symptoms, such as a cough or high fever.

“Schools need to be at a heightened awareness and parents, don’t give your kids Tylenol and send them off to school,” she said.