http://66.225.205.104/061909-50jr.mp3
After a brief decline in mid-May, cases of the H1N1 virus - also known as "swine flu" - rose rapidly in recent weeks. WFAE's Julie Rose reports. Anyone who walks into a doctor's office in North Carolina right now with flu symptoms, will probably be told they've got swine flu. "We are not really even asking them to get a laboratory confirmation," says North Carolina state epidemiologist Dr. Megan Davies. Swine flu is virtually the only type of flu circulating in the state right now. Last week there were 67 influenza cases reported. All but one were the new H1N1 virus. That's more than the number of regular flu cases reported during the peak of normal flu season in February. Dr. Davies says, "We're seeing a second flu season here into the summer." Swine flu is quickly spreading in South Carolina, too, where 24 new cases were reported last week, compared to only one case of seasonal flu. South Carolina epidemiologist Dr. Jerry Gibson says that's only a fraction of the people who actually have the virus and haven't been to see a doctor. "This is very unusual behavior for the influenza virus," says Dr. Gibson. "At this time of year when its hot and moist and humid, it's supposed to be going away. And that emphasizes there's a lot we don't know about this novel new virus." Gibson says so far the H1n1 virus is a relatively mild form of flu. Health officials say no one in the Carolinas has died from it. But Gibson says the greater concern is what will happen in winter when the virus is likely to thrive even more while people have not yet developed immunity. It's uncertain whether a swine flu vaccine will be ready by then. Health officials across the Carolinas are dusting off their pandemic response plans and boosting public awareness efforts to encourage hand-washing and staying home when sick.