An urgent care clinic in Traverse City says they're seeing a constant flow of people coming in with swine flu symptoms...and they expect this rush to continue.
TRAVERSE CITY -- It's been an unusually busy week for physicians at the walk in clinic in Traverse City and it's not just people coming in for the seasonal flu shot.
"Quite a few people I think with H1N1 or swine flu influenza. Lots of children, elementary, junior high, high school kids. They've had fevers of 101, 102, 103, 104, headaches, body aches, sore throat, cough, running nose," says Dr. Tom Nussdorfer with the Walk In Clinic.
Dr. Nussdorfer says it's a constant flow of young people walking through the doors with these symptoms.
"We're able to do a nasal swab test for influenza that determines whether they have influenza A or B. The swine flu is an influenza A virus. People that have influenza symptoms at this present time are presumed to have swine flu, H1N1," says Dr. Nussdorfer.
"How did you feel when you came into the office?" asks 7&4 News to one patient.
"Really sick and I didn't feel good. My chest was hurting really bad and I felt really hot," says Keendra Miles who has swine flu symptoms.
It's these symptoms among others that sets the H1N1 virus apart from the seasonal flu."
"The main difference is that some of the kids with swine influenza have some gastroenterological symptoms nausea, diarrhea usually with seasonal flu we don't see those symptoms," says Dr. Nussdorfer.
After seeing just how sick her daughter is, Autumn Mamula is warning other parents to take the virus seriously.
"She's never been this sick before. I definitely recommend for parents to get their children vaccinated for this because it's a serious illness, I didn't think it was this serious," says Mamula.
"Have you ever been this sick before?" asks 7&4 News.
"No," says Miles.
Dr. Nussdorfer says swine flu symptoms usually last for about a week and people are contagious during that time. Although the clinic is treating people for these symptoms, they have not confirmed any cases.
"We typically don't do the confirmatory test for the swine flu. It has to be done at the state department of public labs in Lansing. That test is reserved for people that are extremely ill and hospitalized," says Dr. Nussdorfer.
Doctor Nussdorfer says it might seem like common sense but washing your hands is the best way to protect yourself against the swine flu. He even recommends carrying hand sanitizer.
