Published: July 03, 2009 11:06 am      

H1N1 flu still around; Hays County cases rise to nine

San Marcos — It hasn’t been catching the headlines it was, but the so-called swine flu, technically the H1N1 virus, is still around and making people sick.

As of Thursday, there had been nine confirmed cases of the flu in Hays County, the State Department of Health Services said.

Five of those cases involved children who were at a camp near Wimberley, Hays County Personal Health Department Director Priscilla Hargraves said. An adult staff member at the camp was also stricken.

Of the remaining three cases, Hargraves said two occurred at the Hays County Juvenile Detention Center. She said she didn’t know specifics about the final case except that the individual involved had seen a physician in Austin, whose office submitted a sample for testing.

Hargraves said those most susceptible to the flu are in “congregate settings” like the detention center, or have suppressed immune symptoms. Health care givers also worry more about “the very old, the very young and pregnant ladies.”

Elsewhere in Central Texas, the TDHS says Caldwell County has had one confirmed case; Comal six; Guadalupe 42, Bexar 184 and Travis, 241. One person in Travis County has died from the disease, as have five from El Paso County, three from Hidalgo County, three from Bexar County; one from Victoria County, one from Fort Bend County, one from Cameron County and one from Nueces County.

A young boy from Mexico was the first in Texas succumb to the disease, dying in a Houston hospital in April.

All told, 3,991 cases have been confirmed in Texas.

Hargraves said few people are stopping by the health department for testing, something she sees as indicating people are “getting used” to taking extra precautions.

“I think people are sort of used to the idea they need to use good hygiene and try to protect themselves,” she said. “They understand too that unless your system is suppressed for one reason or another i’s normally not a bad flu — it’s a minor kind of an illness.

Basically, health care providers urge people to stay home if they feel sick, cover coughs and sneezes and wash hands “frequently and thoroughly with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.”

The county health department is continuing to work with local, state and regional authorities to monitor the H1N1 situation.

Hargraves said typical symptoms are fever above 100 degrees, cough and sore throat, accompanied by body aches and possible nausea and vomiting.