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A child enrolled in a Prescott Valley school is the first Yavapai County resident to test positive for the H1N1 swine flu virus.
Arizona Department of Health Services State Lab was able to use their new testing capabilities to notify Yavapai County Community Health Services this afternoon. This finding raises the total number of H1N1 cases in Arizona to 130, according to current data available at www.azdhs.gov.
"This is the first of three probable samples from our county to be confirmed," explains epidemiologist Stephen Everett. "The child had no severe symptoms and has already returned to school. We still await results from two other samples that were sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)."
Everett says that testing for this particular virus is now largely limited to those who experience severe symptoms or who may be hospitalized due to the risk of complications.
The symptoms of the new H1N1 strain are similar to those of regular seasonal influenza: high fever with cough, sore throat, runny nose, and/or body aches; some cases have nausea and diarrhea, which is not usually seen in seasonal flu. Treatment is the same as influenza: stay in bed, rest, and drink plenty of fluids. Call a doctor or seek immediate medical care for flu symptoms if breathing becomes difficult, or if there are underlying medical conditions such as pregnancy, diabetes, heart disease, or asthma.
Stay informed on the outbreak. Go to www.yavapaihealth.com for local information and links for the latest updates from the CDC and the Arizona Department of Health Services.
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