Despite Worries, Swine Flu Fairly Mild: Health Officials
By LITA BECK
Updated 8:11 PM CDT, Tue, Oct 27, 2009
Dallas health officials say the swine flu appears to be a much milder strain than some seasonal flu strains seen in previous years.
Less than 10 percent of people with the H1N1 virus need medical attention, according to the Centers for Disease Control. And 99.9 percent of those who contract it make a full recovery.
But that isn't what is often conveyed in news stories, said Dr. John Carlo, of the Dallas County Health Department.
Carlo said the reporting of swine-flu-related deaths doesn't accurately portray the virus' overall story.
"The challenge is, we have to keep perspective," he said. "We can't really cause panic, yet at the same time, we have to cause awareness and let everyone know the situation."
Those who contract swine flu often have mild symptoms.
"I just had just common cold symptoms -- I had a sore throat -- and it wouldn't go away," said Doroota Baird, who tested positive for the virus.
She was back to normal after only a few days of rest and isolation.
"I was shocked, because I didn't feel that bad," Baird said.
While the vast majority of cases are mild, a few cases have been fatal. According to the CDC, 70 percent of swine-flu-related deaths had underlying medical conditions that contributed to their death.
First Published: Oct 27, 2009 7:31 PM CDT
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