Alabama health officials have identified two cases of probable swine flu from specimens taken in the Huntsville area, they announced this evening.
Dr. Don Williamson, state health officer, and Gov. Bob Riley announced the results in a 6:30 p.m. news conference. The cases are the first identified by the Alabama Department of Public Health as probably being swine flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta will test the specimens to determine for certain whether they are swine flu. The lab work usually takes about a day.
The specimens came from students in Heritage Elementary School in Madison, who appear to be recovering, Williamson said. He said there's a 95 percent probability the strain of influenza identified is swine flu.
The state is recommending Heritage Elementary close for seven days, Williamson said.
He said officials expected swine flu to hit Alabama eventually. "It would have been extraordinarily remarkable if we had avoided a problem everybody else in the country is expected to deal with," Williamson said.
"This is no more severe than regular seasonal influenza," he said.
Gov. Bob Riley said, "We want everyone in Alabama to be concerned but not alarmed."
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/04/new_swine.html
Dr. Don Williamson, state health officer, and Gov. Bob Riley announced the results in a 6:30 p.m. news conference. The cases are the first identified by the Alabama Department of Public Health as probably being swine flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta will test the specimens to determine for certain whether they are swine flu. The lab work usually takes about a day.
The specimens came from students in Heritage Elementary School in Madison, who appear to be recovering, Williamson said. He said there's a 95 percent probability the strain of influenza identified is swine flu.
The state is recommending Heritage Elementary close for seven days, Williamson said.
He said officials expected swine flu to hit Alabama eventually. "It would have been extraordinarily remarkable if we had avoided a problem everybody else in the country is expected to deal with," Williamson said.
"This is no more severe than regular seasonal influenza," he said.
Gov. Bob Riley said, "We want everyone in Alabama to be concerned but not alarmed."
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/04/new_swine.html