September 1, 2009                                                                  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:     Lisa Huddleston, Manager of Communications

                        Greater Cincinnati Health Council

H1N1 Testing Limited to Hospitalized
Patients with Flu-like Symptoms

Got the flu? Is it a seasonal influenza or the notorious H1N1 strain beginning to make its way again through Greater Cincinnati? For those questioning whether to go to the hospital or stay home, take note:

1) Greater Cincinnati hospitals ARE NOT administering tests for H1N1 through their Emergency Departments. Therefore, area hospitals cannot comply with Emergency Department patient requests for H1N1 tests. “Hospitals will perform testing for H1N1 based on the criteria set by their respective state health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),” says Tonda Francis, RN, MSN, vice president of the Greater Cincinnati Health Council. “Hospitals must adhere to the state and CDC guidelines, as the state will only process tests for patients who meet these criteria.” According to Francis, Emergency Department patients generally do not meet the criteria for testing. “Only patients with influenza-like illness who are being hospitalized will be tested for H1N1.” Francis adds, “The only exception to the testing protocol may be requests from local or state health departments to test individuals who are part of a group or cluster that is at high-risk.”

2) Always monitor flu symptoms, regardless of the type of flu suspected. If you have other risk factors such as asthma or diabetes and/or feel the need to seek medical attention, contact your health care provider.

3) Recognize when symptoms may become severe enough to warrant a trip to a hospital Emergency Department:

In children, emergency warning signs requiring urgent medical attention include:

· Fast breathing or trouble breathing

· Bluish or gray skin color and/or purple or blue discoloration of the lips

· Signs of dehydration such as dizziness when standing, absence of urination, or in infants, a lack of tears when crying

· Severe or persistent vomiting which may include being unable to keep liquids down

· Inability to wake up or interact, is less responsive than normal and becomes confused

· Irritability and lack of desire to be held

· Flu-like symptoms that improve, but then return with a fever and worse cough

· Seizures (such as uncontrolled convulsions)

In adults, emergency warning signs requiring urgent medical attention include:

· Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

· Purple or blue discoloration of the lips

· Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen

· Signs of dehydration such as dizziness when standing or absence of urination

· Sudden dizziness

· Confusion

· Severe or persistent vomiting, which may include being unable to keep liquids down

· Flu-like symptoms that improve, but then return with fever and worse cough

· Seizures

For more information about the H1N1 flu virus, visit the CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu.

###