First swine flu case confirmed in Iowa

DES MOINES - Gov. Chet Culver declared a public health emergency today after state officials received confirmation of the state's first case of the H1N1 virus - or swine flu.

A woman from southeast Iowa who became ill last week after traveling to Mexico was confirmed to have a virus by the Centers for Disease Control. The woman had traveled through Des Moines, Johnson and Muscatine counties.

Tests for a suspected case from Clinton County came back negative, but Culver today announced six more probable cases of the virus in Iowa that are undergoing additional testing. Six of those probable cases are in Marshall County, including one announced Friday, and one is in Tama County.

"On the state level, we are taking every precaution to help prevent the spread of this disease. We continue to monitor the situation, both in Iowa and around the country," Culver said in a statement released to the media.

The public health disaster declaration allows the state to purchase and distribute additional antiviral treatments and to deploy public health teams to help out local officials trying to limit potential exposure to the virus.

Under the declaration, the state also is allowed to isolate or quarantine infected people to help prevent the spread of the virus.

State officials had predicted the virus would show up in the state. The Iowa Department of Public Health already has opened its emergency coordination center at a state office building in Des Moines to process information from local health officials and the federal government.

Culver has ordered the Iowa Department of Public Safety to guard the state's supply of anti-virals and assist with distributing it around the state. The state has about 750,000 courses of anti-virals on hand, and officials believe that will be enough.

Health officials are urging Iowans to take measures to avoid the spread of the virus, including frequent hand washing, and coughing or sneezing into the sleeve or a tissue instead of the hands. Those with fevers over 100 degrees and a cough or sore throat are urged to stay at home.

Department of Public Health Director Tom Newton has said that many of the H1N1 cases in the United States so far have been mild.

The state has instituted an influenza hotline at 1-800-447-1985 for people with questions or concerns about the illness. More information also can be found at www.idph.state.ia.us