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The virus's rapid spread from sources in Mexico prompted the World Health Organization to declare a "phase five" alert Wednesday, April 29, just one step short of declaring a pandemic exists.
According to Margaret Donnelly, director of DHSS, a Platte County resident is the state's first probable case.
The patient has been notified that she probably has swine flu, Donnelly said Thursday, April 30.
"The patient is a woman in her 30s who recently traveled to Mexico, where the virus first emerged," Donnelly said. "Health officials have informed all persons with whom the patient had direct contact so that they can receive appropriate medical care."
Donnelly said DHSS has received a number of calls about a Missouri resident receiving medical care in Nebraska who may have contracted swine flu.
"Nebraska authorities say the person involved is a 19-year-old man who was in Nebraska to obtain health care for another medical condition. He remains in the hospital," she said.
Donnelly also announced that the state Public Health Laboratory has tested an additional 19 specimens from Missouri patients with flu-like symptoms. None of them turned out to be cases of H1N1.
Gov. Nixon announced Wednesday that the state's response plan is being followed.
The plan includes "aggressive outreach and notification of all local health agencies, as well as communication between the state epidemiologist and the Centers for Disease Control," Nixon said.
Nixon also said communication with the public about influenza prevention and treatment would be a critical component of the state's response.
"The most important thing we can do is make Missourians aware of the state's response, of the best practices for avoidance of swine flu and facts about how the disease is treated. We want everyone to know how to keep themselves healthy and that the effects of a positive test will be controlled," Nixon said.
In Saline County, local government and health care officials met Thursday afternoon with Saline County Health Department officials to review the situation and discuss procedures.
Contact Eric Crump at marshalleditor@socket.net
Comments
You should really work on grammar and punctuation, That statement is extremely hard to read. So let me get this straight....since there really is a disease, and it really is here and in other countries, our government must have made it to scare people? Get real, thats not how it happened.
I PERSONAL BELIEVE THAT OUR GOVERNMENT IS SIMPLY ON A SCARE TATIC AGAIN, FIRST WAS MAD COW, ONE OLD COW BOUGHT IN CANADA HAS MAD COW SICKNESS, SO BEEF INDUSTRY WAS HURT, NOW SWINE FLU, EGYPT KILLED ITS HOGS, AMERICANS OUR WORRIED ABOUT EATING PORK, COME ON PEOPLE COOK IT BEFORE YOU EAT IT. ALL THIS ALONG WITH FOOD RECALLS IS JUST A JOKE. TAKE A GOOD LOOK AMERICA, YOUR NEW LEADERS IN WASHINGTON IS MOVING TOWARD COMPLETE TAKEOVER OF OUR FREEDOMS. (from what we eat,drive,and sleep.