Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

February 22, 2007 issue

Sorry We’re Late

Everybody’s Been Sick

Story by Kathleen McFadden

High Country Press came out a day late this week because our office has been decimated by illness. When you have a tiny staff of just nine full-time folks, and seven of them are too sick to get out of bed, the schedule slips a bit.

You’re wondering who the two strong ones are—the two who didn’t succumb? They are the indomitable David Brewer and Kathleen McFadden.

Symptoms among the ill and recovering have included high fevers, aches, coughing, sinus pressure, headache, a persistent tickle in the throat, weakness and dizziness. Not everyone went to the doctor, but we have one confirmed case of flu, an ear and sinus infection and a bacterial infection.

A spokesperson at the Appalachian District Health Department reported that the clinic hasn’t seen any appreciable change in the number of patients or types of illness, but a spokesperson at the urgent care clinic of Total Health Integrated Services in Boone reported “a lot of flu and strep—a whole lot—along with sinusitis, bronchitis and some pneumonia.

“Over the last three weeks, just about every day, we get covered up,” she continued, and estimated that the clinic is seeing 60 to 80 patients per day.

The urgent care clinic at Blowing Rock Hospital, according to a spokesperson, is seeing an “increase in flu, a lot of viral illnesses like colds, and sinusitis,” but she added, “an increase in this kind of stuff is common for this time of year.”