THE VIRUS GRINCH MAY SPOIL CHRISTMAS

The virus grinch may wind up spoiling Christmas for some families in the Cape Girardeau area.

The Cape Girardeau County Health Department said major increases occurred the past week in several reported illnesses, including gastro-intestinal, upper respiratory illness, strep throat, pink eye and chicken pox.

Although the number of cases of flu-like illnesses was up from the previous reporting week (13 compared to 21 this week), health officials said no laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza have been reported as of Dec. 20 in Cape Girardeau County.

Mary Ellen Gerlach, manager of the Cape Girardeau County Health Department, said Wednesday the number of cases of chicken pox in the county increased from four during the reporting week of Dec. 13 to 38 cases as of Dec. 20. The number of cases of pink eye increased from 7 to 48.

The health department compiles the weekly survey using statistics provided by selected area schools, both Cape Girardeau hospitals, a local physician, several pre-school day care centers and from the county health department.

According to the Dec. 20 survey, the number of gastro-intestinal illnesses rose from 16 to 77 the past week. The number of upper respiratory cases was up from 22 to 88, and the number of strep throat cases rose from 12 during the previous reporting week to 58 this week.

The number of bronchitis cases was down slightly, 44 the previous week to 42 this week.

At least 14 lab-confirmed cases of Type A influenza have been reported so far this fall and early winter in Missouri, state health officials reported Wednesday. Sue Tippen, with the Missouri Department of Health's Southeast Missouri Regional Office at Poplar Bluff, said confirmed flu cases were reported in New Madrid County, as well as St. Louis, Calloway, Moniteau, Washington counties, and in Kansas City.

Tippen said the New Madrid case involved a 10-year-old boy who was diagnosed with the Type A virus in late November.

"Our influenza-like illnesses in the Southeast Missouri region are running pretty well close to those of last year at this time," said Tippen "We've had no reports of schools having to close down because of high absenteeism."

Tippen said the last major outbreak of confirmed influenza in this area occurred during the winter of 1991-92.