Hamilton Health Officials Establish Swine Flu Hotline
Tennessee health officials expect mild cases of the swine flu to be confirmed in the state. State medical epidemiologist Dr. Tim Jones said Monday the primary goal is to slow down the spread.
The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department has created a Swine Flu webpage with information for the public: http://health.hamiltontn.org/swineflu.aspx
Tomorrow, the Health Department is opening an information line for the general public with questions about swine flu. The hours of the line are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The number for the hotline is (423) 209-8393.
Dr. Jones told reporters during a conference call that the state has stockpiles of medications to fight the disease. No confirmed cases have been reported in Tennessee, but the state lab is currently testing suspected cultures.
Jones said the global outbreak is expected to last a long time, adding: "It's not going to end next week."
He said it's not a particularly severe virus, but nonetheless some 700 Tennesseans die annually from the flu strain that normally hits during the winter.
