COUNTY GETS FED CASH FOR FLU PREP STATE UPDATING EMERGENCY PLANS.

Byline: Troy Anderson Staff Writer

Los Angeles County is expected to get $2.9 million today as part of the first phase of federal funding to help prepare for the avian flu, which experts say could hit the United States as early as this summer.

The funds are part of an agreement for an initial $6.7 million statewide, expected to be signed by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt at a Los Angeles summit of state, county, business, education and health officials to discuss pandemic preparations.

The virus has killed tens of thousands of birds and has spread rapidly throughout Asia, Eastern Europe and parts of Africa.

While no cases have been reported in the U.S. and the virus is not known to spread among humans, health officials worry it could mutate, launching a worldwide epidemic.

Los Angeles County Health Officer Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding said health experts would not be surprised to see birds carrying the virus arriving in the United States in the next few months because the nation is along spring migratory routes.

U.S. officials are now testing thousands of birds in the Pacific and Atlantic flyways.

``It wouldn't be a surprise to see some of our chickens come down with this in the near future because it has spread to a number of other continents and many countries and there is a feeling among many experts that it's just a matter of time before we have some infected fowl in the United States,'' Fielding said.

If it became contagious among humans, experts say, it could kill as many 180,000 people in California and infect up to 35 percent of the state's population.

``There has been a genetic shift in the virus,'' Fielding said. ``It's different than what we first saw. It has infected some mammals. We in the health department have to assume we're going to wind up with a pandemic. We have to make that assumption. Our job is to work to protect everybody.''

At a recent state legislative hearing on preparations, officials with the Bureau of State Audits testified that two key emergency plans to combat infectious disease - the Disaster Medical Response and Medical Mutual Aid plans - had not been updated in 10 to 20 years.

As part of preparations, Fielding said the county has increased its lab capacity, is testing for the virus, working with doctors and hospitals on what symptoms to look for and preparing plans to distribute vaccines and anti-viral medications.

The government also has been stockpiling antiviral medications Tamiflu and Relenza, Fielding said.

In an effort to reduce the spread of the virus, officials are also working on plans to notify the public if the virus arrives in the U.S. and begins to spread person-to-person.

``I say slow the spread because we don't believe it will be possible to stop it once it gets started,'' Fielding said.

Fielding said officials may want to close schools, advise businesses on contingency plans in case large numbers of employees are sick and look to other agencies such as the American Red Cross to provide facilities for people who don't need hospital-level care.

Fielding said officials are also exploring what can be done to reduce the risk of complications from the flu, including the use of a pneumococcal vaccine.

``It's already recommended for the elderly,'' Fielding said. ``We want to make sure they have it and that other vulnerable populations have received it, particularly if we don't have other specific vaccines available.''

A county health report earlier this month noted that a survey last year of 70 hospitals in the county found 67 percent do not have pandemic flu response plans and only 32 percent have vaccination plans.

Troy Anderson, [phone]

troy.anderson(at)dailynews.com