FrenchieGirl
Senior Moderator
State swine flu procedure changes
New Mexico health officials said Friday they will no longer report individual swine flu cases and asked clinics to send only cases involving hospitalized patients for testing at the state laboratory.
The state's Health Secretary, Dr. Alfredo Vigil, said that by focusing on hospitalized patients, epidemiologists can more closely monitor the severity of the illness in New Mexico.
Vigil said national and state health officials believe there are more swine flu cases than reported "because sick people do not necessarily see a physician, and those who do are not always tested for influenza."
State officials will alert the news media and the public when hospitalized cases are confirmed or if the severity of the illness changes.
So far, the state has seen mild swine flu cases.
New Mexico health officials said Friday they will no longer report individual swine flu cases and asked clinics to send only cases involving hospitalized patients for testing at the state laboratory.
The state's Health Secretary, Dr. Alfredo Vigil, said that by focusing on hospitalized patients, epidemiologists can more closely monitor the severity of the illness in New Mexico.
Vigil said national and state health officials believe there are more swine flu cases than reported "because sick people do not necessarily see a physician, and those who do are not always tested for influenza."
State officials will alert the news media and the public when hospitalized cases are confirmed or if the severity of the illness changes.
So far, the state has seen mild swine flu cases.