Arkansas Health Officials Confirm H1N1 Swine Flu in Arkansas. UALR is closely monitoring the situation through contact with local and state health agencies and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The latest information can be found at healthyarkansas.com.

The Arkansas Department of Health provides this advice:

• Students, faculty or staff with influenza-like illness (fever with a cough or sore throat) should stay home and not attend school or go into the community except to seek medical care for at least seven days even if symptoms resolve sooner.
• Students, faculty and staff who are still sick seven days after they become ill should continue to stay home from school until at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved.
• Students, faculty and staff who appear to have an influenza-like illness at arrival or become ill should be isolated promptly in a separate room.
• Students, faculty and staff should stringently follow sanitary measures to reduce the spread of influenza, including covering their nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing (or coughing or sneezing into their sleeve if a tissue isn’t available), frequently washing hands with soap and water, or using hand sanitizer if hand washing with soap and water is not possible.

Precautions and Actions Arkansans should take:

• As always, people with febrile respiratory illness should stay home from work or school to avoid spreading infections, including flu, to others in the community.

• People experiencing cough, fever and fatigue, possibly along with diarrhea and vomiting, should contact their physician.
• Drugs called antivirals can reduce the severity of illness, if taken within 48 hours after symptoms begin.
• Individuals who are 18 years of age or younger who are ill with flu should not take aspirin, but can take ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

• Avoid close contact with people who are coughing or otherwise appear ill.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Wash hands frequently to lessen the spread of respiratory illness. The key is to wash thoroughly with warm, soapy water, and to wash frequently.
• When hand washing is not possible, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Cover your mouth and nose with tissue when coughing and sneezing.
• Swine flu viruses are not transmitted by food and a person cannot get swine flu from eating pork products.
• Have a good family preparedness plan. Know what you are going to do should a family member become ill.
• Keep a supply of flu-fighting items on hand such as tissues, over-the-counter medications and a digital thermometer.
• Wipe down any surfaces that may have been contaminated by saliva or other respiratory secretions. Use a household disinfectant labeled for use against bacteria and viruses or mix and use one (1) part household bleach to ten (10) parts water.

Signs and Symptoms:

• The symptoms of swine flu in humans are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include: fever greater than 100 degrees, body aches, coughing, sore throat, chills, headache and body aches, fatigue, respiratory congestion, and in some cases, diarrhea and vomiting. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should contact their physician, a local ADH health unit or other health care provider.

Seek emergency medical care if you or someone you know is having any of following warning signs discussed below.

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting