Sonoma County: Nearly all of current flu cases are swine flu

<p>With regular flu season months away, Sonoma County health officials say 98 percent of today’s flu cases are most likely swine flu.</p><p>The H1N1 virus “is becoming a dominant form at least for now,” said Dr. Mark Netherda, the deputy public health officer.</p><p>Netherda said swine flu is now “well-established in our community,” describing its spread as an ongoing outbreak that has yet to find “its season.”</p><p>As of Wednesday, there have been 25 confirmed and probable cases of the virus in Sonoma County, with one death. Statewide, there have been 17 deaths and about 1,500 cases.</p><p>Netherda said the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has given the H1N1 virus a “severity index” rating of 2. The index rates flu severity on a scale of 1 to 5.</p><p>“H1N1 is a moderately severe type of influenza, equal to or slightly greater than the severity of seasonal flu,” Netherda said.</p><p>Officials said seasonal flu — which generally has a severity index of 1 or 2 — causes about 36,000 deaths and 220,000 hospitalizations in the United States each year.</p><p>For that reason, officials expect swine flu to claim more lives even though it may only be slightly more lethal than the regular flu.</p><p>Note: A previous version of this story contained an incorrect total for the number of swine flu-related deaths statewide. There have been 17 deaths.</p>