H1N1 flu (also called the swine flu) first surfaced in April. Many schools and colleges around the state are reporting students confirmed or suspected of having the H1N1 virus. Nearly every county in South Carolina has reported at least one case of the new strain of flu.In late August, a 12-year-old Midlands-area child with serious underlying medical issues died after coming down with novel H1N1 flu. However, in the majority of reported cases, the severity of the illness has been mild.

DHEC Spokesman, Adam Myrick tells us that the flu is tracking about the same here as around the country. “It’s important to remember that no matter what kind or which letters and numbers you put in front of it, the flu is still the flu. And thus far the symptoms and the length of the illness have been tracking here in South Carolina about the same as they’ve been tracking around the country. In fact, H1N1 has been a little bit shorter time than the seasonal flu. Where as typically with the seasonal, you’re going to be sick, you might as well take yourself out of circulation for about five to seven days. H1N1, most of the cases that we’re hearing about here in South Carolina, have been around 3-4 days.” [Read more...]

First District Congressman Henry Brown held a town hall meeting in Charleston Thursday to hear from the public about their concerns with health care reform.

Congressman Henry Brown spoke at the Charleston Convention Center to a crowd made up around 500 people. Brown held the town hall meeting to discuss issues concerning health care reform.

The meeting did not just cover the current health care debate, also discussed was congressional pay, social security, and a national police force. Brown says he would be interested in seeing how the tax code could be changed to encourage more charitable care given by doctors. [Read more...]