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...]