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http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orl-asecswine-flu-local-050209050209may02,0,2238516.story
Florida declares swine-flu health emergency
<dl class="byline">By Fernando Quintero and Walter Pacheco |Sentinel Staff Writers<dd> May 2, 2009</dd></dl>
Sterling Ivey, a spokesman for Gov. Charlie Crist, said Pinellas, Palm Beach and Alachua counties also reported potential swine-flu infections.
Florida confirmed its first cases of swine flu in two children from Lee and Broward counties Friday and declared a public-health emergency. The schools the two children attend have canceled classes as a precaution.
State Surgeon General Dr. Ana Viamonte Ros said the Broward girl had recently been to Mexico, the center of the outbreak.
"We do expect to see more cases over the coming days and weeks," Viamonte Ros said at a news conference in Tallahassee. The declaration of a public-health emergency allows Viamonte Ros to take any action necessary to prevent the flu's spread, including ordering individuals to be examined, treated or quarantined for communicable diseases and temporarily reactivating inactive licenses of certain health-care workers.
Meanwhile, Orange County health officials said they had no confirmed cases but might receive test results this weekend for at least one possible local swine-flu case referred to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. That case is one of eight cases — including the two confirmed Friday — that the state had sent to the CDC, which has the capability to make a final determination
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The University of Florida did not plan to do away with handshakes during ceremonies scheduled Friday, but hand sanitizer was provided, a spokeswoman said. The University of Central Florida will decide next week whether to take similar precautions during its graduation ceremonies May 8 and 9, a spokesman said.