HEALTH OFFICIALS: AILMENTS NORMAL FOR MID-JANUARY

Mid-winter ailments are starting to take their toll on adults and school-age children in the Southeast Missouri area. Local health officials report increases in most categories of sickness among the young and old throughout the area.

However, they emphasize that at this time, the numbers are not unusual for mid-January.

The Missouri Division of Health's regional office at Poplar Bluff said schools in the Ellington School District, west of Piedmont, were closed Tuesday because of an outbreak of what is believed to be influenza.

Sue Tippen, director of the 25-county regional office, said between 130-140 students, or about 23 percent of the total student enrollment, were absent late last week because of sickness.

"At this time, we have not received any reports of lab-confirmed influenza cases in our region," Tippen said. "Because of budget cutbacks, the state lab, which confirms the presence of the strains of influenza, has had to cut back on its testing, so it's possible that we do have some influenza out there."

In its latest weekly medical survey, the Cape Girardeau County Heath Department reported seven cases of influenza for the week of Jan. 4-11, but none have been lab-confirmed at this time. It's the first time this winter the weekly survey has listed unconfirmed influenza cases in the county.

Meanwhile the number of cases of sickness in Cape Girardeau County has taken a noticeable jump since schools reopened Jan. 4. The health department said gastro-intestinal tract illnesses rose from 21 during the week of Dec. 28-Jan. 4, to 68 last week.

The number of Upper Res~piratory Infection cases also increased dramatically, from 37 the previous week to 102 for the week ending Jan. 4.

The number of bronchial infections was up substantially, from 37 during the week of Dec. 21-28, to 61 the week of Dec. 28-Jan. 4, and 67 this week.

The number of cases with flu-like symptoms was up 15, from 3 to 18. There was also an increase (23) in the number of strep throats, from 23 the previous week to 36 this week.

The weekly statistics are gathered by telephone by the health department staff from both local hospitals, a local pediatrician's office, five local day care centers, health department sources, the health department's primary care unit, and the Cape Girardeau and Jackson schools. The health department also receives random calls from other sources, such as nursing homes, other schools, and physicians, who report any unusual increases in specific types of illnesses.

School health officials in Cape Girardeau and Jackson say there has been an increase in sickness in the schools since school resumed, but they add the numbers are about normal for mid-January.

Linda Goodman, school nurse for the Cape Girardeau Public Schools, was busy Tuesday checking over some sick students at Schultz School. "Until Friday, we hadn't seen much of anything, but when the kids came back to school (Tuesday), some of them came in with headaches, fevers and upset stomachs," Goodman said. "A few of them had high fevers, around 100-102 degrees, complained of headaches, and upset stomachs."

Of the 20 students that Goodman saw, only four were sent home.

Esther Gray, head nurse for the Jackson School District, said she is also seeing an increase in students with fevers, headaches and other flu-like or upper respiratory infection symptoms.

"But it's about normal for this time of the year. The number of absences is about normal for mid-January. We usually see this sort of thing after school starts in early January," she added.

Health officials point out if one member of a family comes down with a winter-time sickness, it's likely the rest of the family will eventually get it.

Tippen says influenza cases in the state continue to be on what is termed a "regional" basis, with flu outbreaks confined to scattered areas of the state.

With an increase in fever and sickness, Tippen again reminds parents not to give aspirin to children who have fever. That's because aspirin can lead to Reyes Syndrome, which occurs in children who have a viral illness and are given aspirin. Instead of aspirin, any non-aspirin product, especially those designed for children, may given.