Officials with the Sugar Land Office of Emergency Management said today that the city continues to monitor the outbreak of swine flu, but there are currently no reported cases in the city.
City staffers are working with other agencies and health care providers, and the city is following the recommendations of Sugar Land’s public health authority, Dr. Joe Anzaldua.
Anzaldua continues to emphasize the importance of everyday preventative steps to stay safe. These include washing hands, covering mouths and noses when coughing or sneezing and not reporting to work when feeling ill.
The creation of a city health authority was part of several past efforts to prepare for a possible pandemic. The city also developed a Disease Control and Response Plan to address a variety of public health threats, including pandemic influenza.
Sugar Land’s Office of Emergency Management is taking part in daily statewide conference calls outlining resources and preparedness efforts to address the spread of swine flu through Texas.
Other efforts preparedness measures include distributing educational information to the public via the city’s website, the media and other communications tools.
Sugar Land’s Connect CTY system will also be utilized to deliver timely information to residents about the swine flu outbreak, if needed.
Emergency management officials said the notification system is designed to quickly communicate with residents through home, business or cell phones, as well as e-mail, text message or devices for the hearing and speech impaired.
