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Show any tf Us Many Utahns are being afflicted with influenza, a Utah Department of Social Services official said. ACCORDING to Dr. Taira Fukushima, Disease Control Branch, the Utah Division of Health has received reports from various parts of the state about the disease. "The disease is characterized by fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches and headache; not the vomiting and nausea usually associated with the flu. Some doctors reported that the disease is affecting all age groups." "ONCE an individual has contracted the disease there is tittle that can be done. Bed rest, plenty of liquids and aspirin as-pirin may help alleviate some of the symptoms. However, if symptoms are severe or prolonged, especially in the aged or chronically ill, a physician should be consulted," consult-ed," Fukushima noted. Fukushima said specimens have been collected from acutely ill patients from throughout the state. The influenza was confirmed Thursday as a Type A influenza by Dr. Althea Bailey at the State Laboratory. Labora-tory. "WE have yet to classify the exact Type A category of flu we have. We also have other samples which we will be examining to determine if the flu is the same across the state or if there are several types that are making people sick," Fukushima said. Dr. Fukushima noted that the National Center for Disease Control recently reported that several outbreaks of influenza have occurred in the USSR. 'The virus responsible is similar to the influenza viruses which were present in the world from 1947 to 1957. But this USSR influenza virus is not the same as the strain of Swine Influenza," he said. DR. Fukushima noted that the new Russian strain is presently being analyzed so that vaccines can be prepared should the virus reach the United States. |