SPOKANE-- Health officials confirmed two more cases of seasonal flu on Monday.
Now local doctors are dealing with two strains of flu moving through the region.
Seasonal flu usually hits the very young and the elderly, compared with the Swine Flu which hit the other groups, like kids and adults. The combination could mean a lot of sick people. Hospital beds, ventilators, and specialists might be in short supply.
The worst part might be the fact that just because you got Swine Flu doesn’t mean you won’t get seasonal flu. There are also a lot of types of seasonal flu and doctors say some are more responsive to certain drugs than others. Flu tests are not foolproof either, and they can take longer to come back than a patient might have. Dr. Roy Almedia is a epidemiologist at Sacred Heart Medical Center. He says doctors shouldn’t go off the test to decide whether to treat or not, but rather doctors should base their decision off of their impression from a good history and physical exam.
The Swine Flu is unlikely to continue as long as the seasonal flu but Dr. Joel McCullough from the Spokane Health District says the strain is unpredictable. Health officials are warning the seasonal flu will be out in full force soon.
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