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Local Pediatricians Say Number Of Flu Cases Still Rising Fast

October 22, 2009
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As health care providers and public health departments across the country await more shipments of H1N1 flu vaccines, local pediatricians say parents should be looking out for a wider range of flu symptoms.
Centers for Disease Control
As health care providers and public health departments across the country await more shipments of H1N1 flu vaccines, local pediatricians say parents should be looking out for a wider range of flu symptoms.

As health care providers and public health departments across the country await more shipments of H1N1 flu vaccines, local pediatricians say parents should be looking out for a wider range of flu symptoms.

Virginia has received approximately 265,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine, far less than what the state was expecting. Meanwhile Dr. David Ascher, with Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children, says the number of children coming to his hospital with flu symptoms has quadrupled in the last two weeks. And Dr. Ascher says parents should be on the lookout for more than the traditional fever and cough.

"Maybe 5 to 10 percent of children with documented H1N1 may not have upper respiratory symptoms," said Ascher. "They have gastrointestinal manifestations, which are vomiting and diarrhea."

Ascher says gastrointestinal symptoms do not suggest a more severe case of the virus.

Jonathan Wilson reports...

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