Wednesday, January 18, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Be alert for severe flu symptoms
Influenza season is in
full swing, causing achi-
ness, fever, cough and sore
throat for many Oregonians.
Emergency departments are
busy, and people with mild
symptoms who want to be
seen can protect others and
avoid long waits in the ER
by calling their primary care
provider before heading to
the hospital.
Most people with flu
recover with just rest and
drinking plenty of fluids.
“Many people have the
flu this season, but people
with mild illness should see
a healthcare provider only if
they’re at high risk for severe
illness or they develop severe
symptoms,” said Richard
Leman, MD, public health
physician with Oregon Health
Authority.
People should call 911 if
someone they know with the
flu has severe shortness of
breath or is difficult to wake.
For those 65 and older, preg-
nant women, children, and
those with chronic medical
conditions or weak immune
systems who get fever with
cough or sore throat, talk to a
healthcare provider.
Others with mild symp-
toms who want to be seen
should consider contacting
their own provider or going
to urgent care before heading
to the ER.
Flu cases in Oregon have
spiked in recent weeks.
Laboratories in the state
reported 1,641 specimens
that were positive for influ-
enza during the week of Dec.
25-31. That’s up from 609
positive flu specimens the
previous week. Most of the
cases have been influenza A,
this season’s predominant flu
type, with one strain, H3N2,
hitting the elderly population
particularly hard.
Hospitalizations also have
been on the rise. There were
143 hospitalizations during
Dec. 25-31, which was nearly
double the previous week’s
total. The week before that
saw just 33 hospitalizations.
There have been no pedi-
atric deaths attributed to the
flu this season, officials say.
The Public Health Division
does not track adult flu
deaths.
Officials offer these tips
for people to consider to get
the care they need and help
emergency rooms care for
those who need it most:
• Get the flu vaccine. It’s
the most effective way to
prevent the flu. The fewer
people who get the virus, the
fewer who will need care.
• “Know when to go.”
Understand flu symptoms
and their severity, and when
it’s OK to just call your doc-
tor or stay home. Most people
with the flu recover in a cou-
ple of weeks, and those with
mild illness do not need to go
to the emergency room.
• If you are at high risk for
severe illness or concerned
about your illness, call your
healthcare provider.
Even though most people
only have mild illness, some
people with severe illness do
need emergency care. Adults
having a hard time breath-
ing or shortness of breath,
pain or pressure in the chest
or abdomen, sudden dizzi-
ness, confusion, severe or
persistent vomiting, purple or
blue discoloration of the lips,
or seizures should be seen
promptly. This is also true
for people with flu who get
better, then have a fever and
cough that return.
Children should be seen
urgently if they have fast or
troubled breathing, bluish
skin color, are not waking
up or interacting, become
so irritable that they do not
want to be held, or have fever
with a rash. They also should
be seen if symptoms of the
flu get better but then come
back with a fever and cough.
Infants should get medical
help right away if they are
unable to eat, have a hard
time breathing, do not have
tears when they cry, or have
many fewer wet diapers than
normal.
Other ways to help pre-
vent flu:
• Stay home and limit
contact with others if you are
sick, including staying home
from work or school when
you are sick.
• Cover your nose and
mouth with a tissue when you
cough or sneeze. Throw the
tissue out when you are done.
• Wash hands with soap
and water. Use an alcohol-
based hand rub if soap and
water are not available.
• Avoid touching your
eyes, nose and mouth.
• Clean and disinfect sur-
faces and objects that may
have flu germs on them.
• Avoid getting coughed
and sneezed on.
Flu vaccine is available
from healthcare providers,
local health departments and
many pharmacies. To find
a flu vaccine clinic, visit
www.flu.oregon.gov and use
OHA’s flu vaccine locator
tool.
25
Design for
new kind of
nuclear plant
submitted
CORVALLIS (AP) —
Oregon-based NuScale Power
has submitted its design to
federal regulators for a new
kind of nuclear power plant,
designed to be smaller and
more affordable.
The company on Thursday
submitted its 12,000-
page application to the
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
The Corvallis Gazette-
Times reports that each mod-
ule is designed to generate
50 megawatts of electricity,
compared to about 1,000
megawatts for a traditional
nuclear power plant. Each
self-contained reactor ves-
sel could be built in a factory
and shipped by truck, train or
barge to its destination.
NuScale officials hope
to have the first 12-module
power plant on a site at the
Idaho National Laboratory,
a federal facility near Idaho
Falls. It would be owned
by the Utah Associated
Municipal Power Systems.
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