Springville Herald | 1948-02-19 | Page 8 | Influenza Leads in Disease Report of Week

INFLUENZA LEADS IN DISEASE REPORT OF WEEK ' Physicians and state health officers of-ficers reported 382 resident cases of notifiable diseases to the State Department of Health for the week ending February 13, 1948. That represents a decrease of almost al-most one-hundred cases over the previous week's report of 485 cases. For the corresponding week last year, there were 383 cases. The decrease in cases this week over last week is due mainly to a falling off of chickenpox from 182 to 119 cases and mumps from 98 to 50 cases for the current week. Influenza accounts for the main increase in the number of cases reported this week over last week. Only eight cases were reported last week as compared with 131 cases this week. Outbreaks of influenza in-fluenza have been reported from several areas throughout the Country, including the epidemic in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles cases, according to a recent report from the Los Angeles City Health Department, was probably due to three separate diseases including influenza. Influenza is caused by a virus of which there are several types, such as the A and B and more recently, the F.M. 1 type. Although we have had only a few cases of influenza in Utah so far this year, it is possible that we might have a more extensive outbreak during the next few months. The State Department of Health regulations pertaining to influen- za require isolation of the case, but place no restrictions on persons per-sons known to be exposed to a previous case. In other words, no quarantine of contacts is required. The State Department of Health recommends that all persons coming com-ing down with symptoms of the common cold and suspected cases of influenza go home and to bed and call their family physician.