Jul 1, 2009 7:55 pm US/Eastern
Possible H1N1 Cases At Camp Worry S. Fla. Parents
(CBS4)
Some South Florida parents are worried about their kids, who are at a sleep-away camp in Massachusetts, which has confirmed cases of influenza A, likely the H1N1 virus.
Barbara Amoils has a 12-year-old son at that camp and she's worried.
"You just hope that your child doesn't get sick because they are so far away", Amoils told CBS4 reporter Gwen Belton.
She and other parents with children at the camp were notified a few days ago by letter that there are five confirmed cased of Influenza A. All of the campers affected, so far, are from Florida. This is the Amoils's family's second round with the H1N1 virus.
"It has not been easy" says Amoils.
She says her nine year-old son Daniel had it just recently.
Amoils is not the only parent concerned about her son child at the camp.
CBS4 entertainment reporter Lisa Petrillo has her 12-year-son named Dillan at the camp.
"Apparently it's so contagious, that's the problem," she says.
Camp officials suggested that parents grant permission to allow their children be given Tamiflu.
Amoils and Petrillo both got prescriptions from their children's pediatricians and set them by mail, only to be used if their kids show signs of the virus.
"Apparently within 24 to 48 hours, it lessens the severity of the virus," says Petrillo.
Both mothers say while they are concerned, they feel their kids are in good hands and camp officials will make the right decisions.
Last week the Miami-Dade Health Department along with the CDC, sent out this list of do's and don'ts to schools, parks and recreation departments and summer camps to prevent the spread of the disease.
"It's not slowing down as expected," says Fermin Leguen, Chief Medical Officer for the county health department.
Dr. Leguen says so far they have document more than 400 cases of the H1N1 virus and he's urging residents to remain vigilant.
"It's important, first of all for parents to know the signs and symptoms. The virus's flu-like symptoms can range from mild to severe and can be deadly to people with weakened immune systems."
Barbara Amoils feels her daughter is on the road to recovery and she is a bit at ease, because she can keep an eye on her.
But when it comes to her son, who is away at a summer camp that has confirmed cases of the flu virus and who is out of sight, she's like any mother worried.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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