Three more probable cases of H1N1 virus in Iowa, officials say

DES MOINES - State public health officials said late Monday afternoon they had learned of three more probable cases of H1N1-- or swine flu -- in Iowa, bringing the total to 10.

Two more probable cases were identified in Marshall County and one in Polk County, that county's first. The Marshalltown Community School District has closed its schools until May 10 to avoid a possible outbreak of the virus.

Gov. Chet Culver declared a public health emergency Saturday when the first case of the virus was confirmed in southeast Iowa. A woman who had traveled to Mexico was confirmed to have the virus by the Centers for Disease Control. That remained the only confirmed case in Iowa as of Monday afternoon.

Culver's declaration of a public health emergency allows Iowa to get help from the federal government, including courses of anti-viral treatments. It also allows the state to deploy public health response teams to areas where the virus has been detected and to isolate or quarantine infected people.

The current count of probable cases is nine in Marshall County and one in Polk County. A case in Tama County announced Saturday was found not to be probable after further investigation, Iowa Department of Public Health spokeswoman Polly Carver-Kimm said.

The University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory has tested samples in more than 500 suspected cases of H1N1 so far.