St. Mary's sees jump in flu symptoms
St. Mary's Regional Medical Center has seen a jump in the number of patients with flu-like symptoms that could be H1N1.
The hospital and its affiliate doctors' offices started to see flu cases pick up last week, with a couple of people reporting symptoms every day. Over the weekend, the number of cases suddenly jumped to nearly 30.
By noon Monday, the hospital had already tested four more people for the flu, leading hospital officials to believe the higher numbers are here to stay.
"We expect it to be this way and possibly climb within this week," said spokeswoman Jennifer Radel.
But while St. Mary's is seeing a spike in flu cases, other area hospitals say they have seen little-to-no increase at all.
"Keep our fingers crossed," said Dr. David Dixon at Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington, which has not seen an increases in flu cases. "It's going to hit us, but right at the moment it's sliding around us."
Rumford Hospital has had six cases in all, including one person who tested positive for H1N1 and five who were suspected to have the virus. Stephens Memorial Hospital in Norway has seen some patients in the emergency room with flu-like symptoms but not in large numbers, a spokeswoman said.
Numbers for Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston were not available Monday evening.
Because the virus is so widespread across Maine, the state's Center for Disease Control and Prevention has stopped testing for H1N1, or the swine flu, unless the patient is sick enough to be admitted to the hospital. Individual hospitals and medical centers can test for H1N1 on their own, but only the state can make the final determination that someone has the virus.
In many places, people with flu-like symptoms are assumed to have H1N1.
Bates College has had one of the largest outbreaks in the area, with 278 suspected cases over the last few weeks. At one point in mid-October, the college was getting 20 new cases a day. It's now down to one new case a day. As of Monday, only six students were sick.
The University of Maine at Farmington confirmed its first two cases of H1N1 last week, according to Celeste Branham, vice president for student and community services. A third student said she went to CMMC Saturday and was diagnosed with H1N1. The college also has two flu tests pending.
Many regional public schools, including those in Livermore, Livermore Falls, Jay and the Farmington and Strong areas, have seen no increase in absentee rates among students. Some Lewiston and Auburn public schools have seen slight increases in absentee rates — from an average 3 to 7 percent up to 11 percent at some schools — but there is no way to tell whether that higher rate is due to H1N1. The state has asked schools to report any absentee rates over 15 percent.
Radel said most of St. Mary's cases have been children.
The hospital and its doctors' offices are asking patients with flu-like symptoms to wear masks in the waiting room to help prevent spread of the disease. They also ask patients to tell the receptionist they have flu-like symptoms when they call to make an appointment.
The state CDC recommends that people seek medical attention for the flu if they become dehydrated, have trouble breathing, get better and then suddenly get a lot worse or see any major change in their condition.
Swine flu vaccine doses to New England states as of Oct. 30
State Doses received State population Doses per 10,000 population
Connecticut 187,000 3.5 million 5.34
Maine 84,100 1.3 million 6.46
Massachusetts 404,500 6.5 million 6.21
New Hampshire 58,600 1.3 million 4.53
Vermont 52,100 620,000 8.38
Sources: Centers for Disease Control, U.S. Census
