Four in state may have flu-like mystery illness

Chicago Sun Times ^ | Mar 18, 2003 | Chicago Sun-Times staff

[TaxRelief]

Four in state may have flu-like mystery illness

The state Health Department is investigating whether four Illinois residents have contracted a deadly flu-like illness that has spread across the globe, officials said Monday. . .

. . .Four people in Illinois are suspected of having the illness--two live in the Chicago area and two are in MacLean County, said health department spokeswoman Jena Welliever. All have recently traveled to Asia.

She did not know their conditions, but all were resting at home.

... "We are working with hospitals, within our own department, with other partners, increasing our own surveillance and getting information out to our hospitals on what this is about, what they need to do and how they would get in touch with us,'' Dr. Pamela Diaz, chief of infectious diseases and emergency preparedness for the Chicago Department of Public Health, told WLS-Channel 7 Monday night.

...Of the four suspected cases in Illinois, two have submitted blood and other samples for testing, Welliever said. Those samples will be sent to the CDC.

Three of the suspected Illinois cases are women. Welliever said she did not yet know where in Asia the people had traveled to or if any of them were traveling together.

It was also unknown when the CDC would have the results of the Illinois samples.

''That's part of the problem: We don't have the information because they haven't decided what it is yet,'' Welliever said. ''They are looking for consistent symptoms and travel patterns so they can try to determine what this is.'' More...

Sun-Times staff and AP reports

[TaxRelief]

WHAT?? Are we the only country in the world that hasn't quarantined suspected cases????

[CathyRyan]

PING

[CathyRyan]

PING

[CathyRyan]

Resting at home?

[GirlShortstop]

Four people in Illinois are suspected of having the illness--two live in the Chicago area and two are in MacLean County, said health department spokeswoman Jena Welliever. All have recently traveled to Asia.

Heads up!

[arkady_renko]

Don't worry, the sick people probably only went to the door to get the newspaper from the nice young man who delivers to about 300 other people in town. No biggie...

A_R

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Four people in Illinois are suspected of having the illness--two live in the Chicago area and two are in MacLean County

Downstate-native-spell-checker-alert.

That's McLean (you Sun-Times editors!!!!!).

[ksen]

You may want to rethink that Chicago trip you have planned....

[Judith Anne]

Lord have mercy! This is a matter of concern...

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

McLean County is where Bloomington/Normal is located (home to 2 universities). It is north of Springfield by about 35 miles.

[Prince Charles]

Now there's 5 cases in IL -- one more in the Chicago area, per WLS radio.

[CathyRyan]

It this point can you imagine sending them home.

[Judith Anne]

No...unless you don't have enough beds in reverse-ventilation rooms...

See you later...I'm going to cook dinner.

[TaxRelief]

...and are probably limiting the number of friends who pop in to say "hello!"

[Bulldogs22]

"Four people in Illinois are suspected of having the illness--two live in the Chicago area"


That's me GSS. Better get my duct tape!

[GirlShortstop]

That's me GSS. Better get my duct tape!

B'dogs, I really don't like the sound of this *thing*.   YOU take good care!   How are you doing otherwise?  OK I hope.  FReegards.

[MonroeDNA]

I'm changing my registration to Democrat, just to vote for Sharpton in the primary.

I encourage all Freepers to do the same.

Dubya's a shoo-in, so why not do it?

[TaxRelief]

Great idea. Wrong thread.

[Bulldogs22]

"I really don't like the sound of this thing"


Don't worry. There are many of these types of "things". The media is on full hype.

"How are you doing otherwise"

I have seen grace and dignity with my own eyes. It has given me the strenghth of ten.

I am counting on you to win. I don't think I will be able to play this year. My heart is in it but it is occupied for others.

[malakhi]

You may want to rethink that Chicago trip you have planned....

Yeah, this is the kind of stuff that makes me nervous. Hate to be walking down Michigan Ave. if there were an unmanned drone spraying anthrax spores overhead.