Gov. Pawlenty, state and local officials in Cold Spring on day of swine flu confirmation
Gov. Tim Pawlenty, state and local officials, were at Rocori High School in Cold Spring this morning (April 30) within hours of the state’s first case of swine flu being confirmed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Pawlenty said there would “likely be more cases” of the flu in Minnesota, and urged Minnesotans to stay home if sick and practice sound personal care habits, such as thoroughly scrubbing their hands with soap and water.
Minnesota Health Commissioner Sanne Magnan opined that such simple measures as could make a huge difference in containing the outbreak.
About ten other samples from sick people have been submitted to the health department from the Cold Spring area, Magnan explained.
The governor noted that because of privacy issues, officials are limited in what they can say about exactly where the flu samples came from.
The state health department by next week hopes to have the proper guidelines in place so they can conduct their own swine flu testing without having to send samples to the CDC.
The health department suspected two days ago that he confirmed case of swine flu might indicated be positive.
The sample was flown to the CDC.
The confirmation from the CDC came early this morning, she said.
One task of the health department is to learn the habits of this particular “novel” flu virus, Magnan explained. Because it is new, it may or may not behave like other flu viruses, she explained.
It’s not known whether this particular strain of swine flu will disappear with the close of the flu season.
Or whether, like the famous 1918 flu outbreak, the flu will first appear in a mild form before changing into a deadlier form, Magnan explained.
Only one death has been recorded in the United States from the flu, she noted. In terms of a severity, the outbreak so far is not measured as severe.
Local Cold Spring officials noted that area residents have remained calm. Rocori Middle School — the confirmed swine flu case has been linked to the school — is remaining temporarily closed.
Rocori School Superintendent Scott Staska indicated that local people are afraid of taking phone calls concerning the flu outbreak out of fear it’s national media calling and trying to trick them into saying something.
