Desert Messenger

May 16, 2018 www.DesertMessenger.com 9 Public health advancements 100 years after the 1918 Inflluenza Pandemic BARB I' S PL A C E GREAT Home Made Take-Out Food WE'VE MOVED! ...just across the street in General Store Lot! OPEN TUES THRU SAT 8 -3 Call, Text, or Visit our Facebook Page Call in Orders & Delivery 928-322-2862 Daily Breakfast & Lunch Specials! NOW SERVING SHAKES! TACO TUESDAYS! MOUNTAIN QUAIL C AFE Open 7am - 7pm 7 DAYS/ WEEK 928-927-8890 & Gift Shop 500 N. Moon Mt. Ave., Quartzsite (corner of Moon Mt. & Quail Trail) B-10, Main St. Moon Mountain X Quail Trail N Hwy. 95, N. Central • DAILY SPECIALS • Friday FISH Special • Sat. PRIME RIB • Sunday POT ROAST Enjoy our Famous Bread Pudding ! Home Style Cooking! BREAKFAST ALL DAY! SOFT SERVE ICE CREAM! Chicken Quesadilla Quail Burger Arizona Omelet Crepes Arizona Burger Refried Potatoes ~ Free Wi-Fi ~ Ask About our Delicious Desserts! We're open Every Day! 175 W. Main St. 928-927-5585 www.sillyalspizza.com SILLY AL'S PIZZA Famous Gourmet Pizza TUES THUR FRI • 7PM • KARAOKE Serving Quartzsite Since 1987 WED • 7PM • DJ SERVING ARIZONA CRAFT BEER & GROWLERS TO GO! HAPPY HOUR 10-12 and 3:30-5:30 SUMMER HOURS: Open Wed - Sun 11am. Kitchen closes at 9pm. Closed Mon. Tues. 725 N. Central Blvd. (Hwy. 95) Quartzsite, AZ 85346 (928) 927-4485 LOOK FOR OUR DAILY SPECIALS Posted on Quartzsite Eats Facebook Group The 1918 infl uenza pandemic was a devas- tating global event responsible for up to 100 million deaths. While it is widely known as the "Spanish Flu", it likely did not originate there. Although most people fi rst learned of the pandemic from Spanish news, some of the earliest documented cases were in the Midwestern U.S. In Arizona at the time, there were only 519 infl uenza-related deaths reported. Although ASU research- ers later identifi ed 2,228 infl uenza-related deaths through death certifi cates, they esti- mate that 6,000 Arizonans died that year. The 1918 pandemic was a wakeup call to the world and gave rise to our modern day public health and healthcare systems. Nearly 100 years later, public health continues to take infl uenza very seriously. A strain related to the 1918 pandemic virus still circulates today and continues to remind us of the impact infl uenza has on society. More recent measures to prevent and mitigate an infl uenza pandemic include a network of laboratories around the globe that test thousands of infl uenza specimens (including those from the Arizona State Public Health Laboratory) and genetically characterize them to monitor unusual changes in the virus. This can help with early detection of a pandemic strain so that preventative measures, like vaccine development, can be implemented quicker. Countries, states, and counties have developed preparedness plans detailing dissemination of stockpiles of antivirals and vaccines, and implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions such as closing schools. Scientists are also working tirelessly to create a universal infl uenza vaccine that would give people immunity against all infl uenza viruses, including potentially a pandemic strain. To better prepare Arizona for a pandemic, ADHS made positive infl uenza tests from labs reportable in 2004 and deaths in children reportable by healthcare providers four years later. This allows the ADHS infl uenza epidemiologist to monitor trends, spread, and impact of infl uenza throughout our state year-round. You can stay up-to-date on infl uenza activity in Arizona for the duration of the season by viewing our weekly reports on the ADHS website www.azdhs.gov, and subscribing to receive the infl uenza report via email.

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