Borough working closely with State on flu

MAT-SU BOROUGH–A worker on the North Slope who lives in Wasilla tested positive for the H1N1 flu virus on the Slope within the last week, the Alaska Department of Health & Social Services reports.

Patient #13 is a male in his 30s with no recent out-of-state travel history. There is no information on where he may have contracted the virus, state officials said.

Also, today the World Health Organization raised the alert level to pandemic or phase 6. The decision to raise the pandemic alert level is a reflection of the spread of the virus, not the severity of the illness caused by the virus. The level of severity of the virus has not changed.
More than 70 countries now report cases of H1N1 flu.

In Alaska cases have been confirmed in Fairbanks and one recently in Anchorage.

The MAT-SU Borough's Emergency Manager Tom Smayda continues to coordinate with State Public Health and other agencies on preparedness activities.

Influenza is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person through coughing or sneezing.

You can help. Wash your hands often. Cough into the crook of your arm. If you believe you have the flu, stay home for 7 days after your symptoms begin, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention suggests.

The Borough has an incident information hotline 761-3790. This phone line will broadcast updates. The Borough also has a web page dedicated to emergencies at http://prepared.matsugov.us

Information will be disseminated on this site.

Visit the State page http://www.pandemicflu.alaska.gov

For more information call Emergency Manager Tom Smayda at 373-8812 or Public Affairs Director Patty Sullivan at 355-0103.

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