Two possible swine flu cases in Missouri
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Two possible swine flu cases in Missouri

Date: April 30, 2009
By: Rebecca Layne
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: A woman outside Kansas City awaits with the rest of Missouri to hear if she has swine flu while a second probable case appears.  RunTime:1:57
OutCue: SOC

A Platte County woman in her thirties who just came back from Mexico is exhibiting symptoms of Missouri's first possible case of swine flu. She has not been hospitalized.

The woman, whose name could not be released, lives in the northern part of the county and has no school-aged children.

Her test results have been sent to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta after determining she has a new virus similar to swine flu. 

Margaret Donnelly, director of the Department of Health, says a Missouri resident who was hospitalized in Nebraska could be counted as Missouri's second possible case of swine flu.

Donnelly says there have been no business closings in Missouri.

 

Actuality:  DONNELLY.WAV
Run Time: 00:21
Description: There are no quarantines or school closings or day care closings that have been imposed at this point. We advise anyone that has flu-like symptoms to stay at home for at least seven days and to not have contact with other individuals so that they do not infect them.


According to Donnelly, a couple dozen people have been tested in Missouri.

The test is a nasal swab that is sent to the state health lab.

Susan Hoskins, Emergency Response Manager at the Platte County Health Department, says there is no need for alarm.

Actuality:  HOSKINS1.WAV
Run Time: 00:22
Description: Seasonal flu kills 36,000 people a year in this country and we're nowhere near that kind of an outbreak. So I understand why people are concerned, but the rumors that we're dealing with: you don't get this from eating pork, you don't get this from going to a Mexican restaurant, and just because someone sneezes at a grocery store does not mean you've been exposed. 


Hoskins says Platte County has received their allotment of antiviral medicine from the state. Most other local public health agencies can expect their allotment today.

Antivirals are only distributed to people with symptoms. They are not vaccines and only treat the symptoms of the virus.

Reporting from Jefferson City, I'm Rebecca Layne ... KSMU.