Swine Flu Quickly Spreading Across Alabama

The State Health Department says it's seeing a dramatic increase in the number of people filling doctor's waiting rooms and in the number of students staying home from school.

By: Jamie Burch | WKRG-TV
Published: September 08, 2009

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(AP) - State public health officials say swine
flu is quickly spreading across Alabama. It is filling doctor's
waiting rooms and increasing the number of students staying home
from school.
State health officer Dr. Don Williamson said Tuesday that the
virus has killed at least four people in Alabama.
He said in the past three weeks the number of schools in the
state reporting more than 5 percent of students absent has jumped
from 5 percent to 54 percent. He said the swine flu, also known as
the H1N1 virus, is also filling up hospital emergency rooms.
Williamson said about 20 percent of patients at hospital emergency
rooms are reporting flu-like symptoms.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)