The Long Beach Health Department yesterday released a statement concerning the swine influenza virus that has now affected 11 people in California and more than 40 across the United States.  The statement urges residents to take normal precautions against sicknesses, including staying home from work or school if ill, and washing hands frequently.  The statement reads:

The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services is actively monitoring the swine flu incident.  We would like to assure our community that the Health Department is working very closely with the state and county authorities to track the status of the outbreak.  A team of public health professionals has been convened to provide heightened disease surveillance in the area and our website has been updated to provide the latest educational information about protecting ourselves from the swine flu.  As of 5:00 pm today, there are still no identified cases of swine influenza in Long Beach.  We are updating physicians and other medical providers and encouraging them to test any patients that may be experiencing any influenza like illness, including but not limited to fever, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.

Click here to read the full statement.

The Los Angeles Times is now reporting that a Long Beach man died in a Bellflower hospital this morning, but there has been no confirmation that the death is related to swine flu.  He was originally diagnosed with pnuemonia over the weekend.

UPDATE: The LA County Coroner has said that it is unlikely the Long Beach man died from swine flu.

By Ryan ZumMallen, Managing Editor