Local girl in hospital with H1N1: Someone to keep in your thoughts this Thanksgiving Day

Katie Grace Groebner is a 7-year-old girl who suffers from a rare disease, pulmonary hypertension, and who will soon need a heart and lung transplant. Unfortunately, she contracted H1N1 last week, and is now in the hospital.

Adding to this family's latest trial is the fact that Katie Grace's mom, Kathy Groebner, had tried to protect her daughter, with her vulnerable health, from H1N1, first by removing her from school in October, and then starting her on the swine flu vaccine as soon as it became available. Katie Grace received her first dose and was due to receive her second dose (they give it in two doses), on November 21, but "no one had it," Kathy says. Stanford medical center had obtained doses of the vaccine, and Katie Grace was scheduled to get the second dose on November 30. "I thought I had time," her mom says.

But last week, Katie Grace and her mother accompanied Katie Grace's older sister's class from Mt. Diablo Elementary school on a field trip. Some other students apparently had the swine flu, with a note going home with students that night, saying that 14 students at the school had been confirmed as having swine flu since school started.

As soon as Kathy received word on Friday that a boy who sits next to her older daughter had a confirmed case of H1N1, doctors started both Katie Grace and her older sister on Tamiflu. On Saturday, Katie Grace started to run a fever of 103.

Kathy Groebner posted an update on Katie Grace's condition last night on Caring Bridge, a website that connects family and friends during a serious health event.

The H1N1 muddle

Just received, in the mail, John Muir Health’s advice to get vaccinated against the seasonal flu and H1N1.

This advice about the H1N1 vaccine might be useful—if the vaccine were readily available. And it sounds like it’s not. I haven't been looking, though, for reasons I'll explain below.

An older woman was at my gym the other day, telling how she had gone to her doctor, insisting she get the H1N1 shot, because she looks after her young grandchildren. “They didn’t want to give it to me!” Someone at my job sent out a company-wide email, asking co-workers if any of us knew any doctors who were dispensing the vaccine.

Yesterday, the New York Times describes the “willy-nilly” distribution of the swine flu vaccine and, in an editorial, says that the availability of the vaccine “is running way behind the original expectations."

In any event, the Times says it is not time to panic--that President Obama’s declaration of a national emergency is a procedural maneuver to make it easier for hospitals to transfer any sudden crowds of sick people to alternate sites for triage and treatment.

Am I panicking?

No.

Maybe I should be?

Back to the Times editorial, which says that, yes, H1N1 so far has killed more than 1,000 Americans and sent more than 20,000 to the hospital. Most recently, the recent death of a first-grade student in Vacaville prompted the closure of two schools in that town. As of October 23, eight people have died of possible swine flu deaths in Contra Costa County, and 196 have been hospitalized with possible H1N1-related illnesses. Such numbers can be "frightening," the Times editorial acknowledges. But the season's "final tally is still likely to be less than in a normal flu season, when the circulating strains typically cause around 36,000 deaths and 200,000 hospitalizations.”

H1N1 is indeed spreading rapidly, but, so far, appears to be no more virulent or deadly than regular, seasonal flu, the editorial says.

The backlash against the vaccine urgency also continues with an excellent article in the Atlantic this month. “Does the Vaccine Matter” asks whether the swine flu vaccine really works, whether it prevents infections or will reduce the number of people who will die.

This article suggests what I have long suspected: that flu vaccines don’t really work that well, or as well as we'd like to believe, and for a whole host of reasons. The thing is, the authors say, placebo-controlled studies of flu vaccine and those flu medications prescribed by doctors every year, to test their efficacy, have never been conducted.

This is the curious state of debate about the government's two main weapons in the fight against pandemic flu. At first, government officials declare that both vaccines and drugs are effective. When faced with contrary evidence, the adherents acknowledge that the science is not as crisp as they might wish. Then, in response to calls for placebo-controlled trials, which would provide clear results one way or the other, the proponents say such studies would deprive patients of vaccines and drugs that have already been deemed effective.

Students of U.S. medical history will find this circular logic familiar: it is a long-recurring theme in American medicine, and one that has, on occasion, had deadly consequences.

The article asserts that vaccines and flu treatments give the U.S. population a false sense of security. “Little discussion has appeared in the press to help people understand the measures they can take to best protect themselves during a flu outbreak—other than vaccination and antivirals.”

Well, I don’t think our public health officials have been remiss in reminding us again and again about the importance of washing our hands frequently or of staying away from work, schools, and other public places if we’re experiencing flu-like symptoms. Still they have been beating the “get the vaccine” message pretty hard.

I’m not saying people shouldn’t get either the seasonal flu or H1N1 vaccine. My husband always gets the seasonal flu vaccine because he’s in one of the vulnerable populations: he has asthma and is prone to upper respiratory illnesses during the winter months. Another co-worker, who gets hit with the flu every season, believes it keeps her from being hit as hard as she normally would.

On the other hand, I don’t get the seasonal flu vaccine. Knock on wood, but so far, I seem to be one of those lucky people who is not prone to getting achy, feverish flu-like illness. At most, I suffer one or two bouts of the common cold every season.

As for my son? He is 11, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children from six months to 18 years receive the vaccination. However, he is not in one of the "priority populations," mentioned by the Contra Costa Public Health Department. This would include kids his age, but with chronic health conditions.

He seems to have inherited my immune system. Of course, it's one thing to take a chance with my own health, but it's another to do the same with his. But then, I believe it's possible--based on reports from parents in the Walnut Creek schools, and which I reported on a few weeks back--that the swine flu has already swept through at least one elementary school and his middle school campus.

Knock on wood, he was spared in this round.

Actually, what is disturbing is that my cross-my-fingers approach to this pandemic may be as reasonable or scientifically sound as the CDC's statement that vaccines are the best way to prevent influenza.

Possible swine flu outbreak in Walnut Creek schools

UPDATE: Walnut Creek School District Superintendent Patricia Wool sent out an advisory Friday afternoon to parents. She noted that "flu is in our community" without mentioning the words "swine flu" or "H1N1" as being involved in recent illnesses cropping up in the district's elementaries or middle school.

Some Murwood parents have contacted me and said it has been "confirmed" that two kids at their school were diagnosed with the dreaded H1N1. Okay, maybe it's not so "dreaded," at least in these and other cases so far. The readers and Wool say that whatever flu-like illness is hitting students right now--H1N1 or not--is "mild to moderate." Wool specifically describes it as "similar to seasonal flu."

Wool goes on to say: Our schools are following Contra Costa County Public Health Department's flu prevention recommendations by:

--Sending children with fever home and enforcing a 24-hour fever-free policy before returning
--Encouraging everyone to cover coughs and sneezes
--Providing soap, paper towels, tissues, and alcohol hand sanitizer
--Cleaning the school as recommended by CCPH
--Sharing attendance information with CCPH

EARLIER FRIDAY: A reader alerted me to the fact the doctors of two families whose children attend Murwood Elementary had diagnosed their children as having swine flu, based on symptoms these kids presented.

She added that an unusually high number of students at the school have been out sick, and that some Walnut Creek Intermediate School students, who have siblings at Murwood, might also have been hit with H1N1. Fortunately, the reader said, all the cases have been mild and not required any special treatment.

That's why those two kids with H1N1 didn't have their diagnoses confirmed by blood tests. Those tests are only performed on people who are hospitalized.

What she says about students at WCI sounds right. My son and his friend were talking about a lot of kids in their classes coughing and sniffling.

I'll check with the school district, and see if they have received word of H1N1 cases circulating. Claycord.com says that there was a reported case of H1N1 at Mt. Diablo Elementary.

In accordance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Contra Costa County Health Department won't close any schools due to an outbreak. Both the CDC and the Health Department say that people with influenza-like illness should stay at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever of 100 degrees or above, or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications. But my reader said that one doctor's office said if your child or you has a fever for more than 72 hours or a bad cough for longer than four or five days, you should call the doctor back.

It sounds like H1N1 didn't want to give some people a chance to get their vaccines. Based on a Health Department recommendation, the school district is strongly encouraging parents to have their children vaccinated, once it becomes available.

Will you get your child immunized for the swine flu?

In her latest e-newsletter Walnut Creek School District Superintendent Patricia Wool says that Walnut Creek schools won't close if there are any outbreaks of the H1N1 virus. However, she says the Contra Costa County Health Department is recommending that students get vaccinated both for the regular flu and for the swine flu--when this latter vaccination becomes available.

My son received the regular flu vaccine; we happened to be at the doctor for a check-up, and he got all his immunizations up to date. His doctor suggested the regular flu vaccine for him. My son is pretty healthy, but the doctor said it would be a good idea, mainly out of concern for my husband, who has serious asthma and would be at risk for getting very sick if he contracted either flu.

I'm on the fence about the H1N1 vaccine, both for my son and myself, in part because I suspect we already had a bout of it back in June. Everyone in my family was hit with this weird cold, that had symptoms unlike any other cold/stomach virus we'd ever had. Fortunately, it wasn't serious and knocked us out for a couple days, and then it was gone.

What do you think about the vaccine for yourself and your family. I admit I still have some studying to do. For example I still need to read through a story by fellow Contra Costa blogger Mister Writer. He picked through and provides links to various studies on the H1N1 vaccine, in raising questions about its safety, efficacy, and necessity. Check out his report here.

Meanwhile, here is the portion of the regular e-newsletter sent out by Wool to parents, regarding the swine flu issue:

The Contra Costa County Health Department briefed all superintendents in the county concerning swine flu (H1N1). This year the health department does not plan to close schools; however, the agency is monitoring our attendance patterns to note fluctuations. The Health Department is recommending that all students receive immunizations for both H1N1 and the regular flu. Since 0-19 year olds are most at risk for H1N1, in low income schools, the vaccine will be provided. However, WCSD will not qualify. Therefore, the Health Department is encouraging parents to vaccinate children when the vaccine for swine flu (H1N1) becomes available. The ealth Department is also recommending a regular flu vaccination for students. The doctors reminded us that students will need to receive each immunization in two doses. For adults, regular flu vaccination is recommended.

Another Contra Costa swine flu-related death, and my personal (and probably silly and Crazy) swine flu worries

Yesterday, we all received news that a middle-aged Contra Costa man, suffering from swine flu, had died. He apparently had no other major health problems, similar to otherwise healthy 9-year-old Karen Perez of Concord, who was suffering from the H1N1 virus, when she died on May 29.

Contra Costa Health Services said this man's death brings to eight the number of swine flu-related deaths in California. Forty-four people have died around the United States.

I was on the Health Services' swine flu web page on Sunday, wondering--being alarmist, hysterical, and Crazy, no doubt--whether the notorious virus, which has reached the level of global pandemic, was making its way through my family.

This past weekend, after my son's "promotion" ceremony from fifth grade, he, my husband, and I went to Monterey for the weekend to celebrate. We didn't do a whole lot of celebrating.

On Saturday, my son seemed tired, not quite himself. We made a cursory effort to visit the aquarium, walk around Cannery Row, visit some old historic parts of town. But this 11-year-old just wanted to hang out in our motel room. Unlike on past trips, he didn't want to go to the pool, or visit the beach. I thought, maybe he was sad about his elementary school career ending. I know I was sad about his leaving elementary school, as I have previously written.

On Sunday morning, my son woke up with sniffles and a cough, but we thought, well, it might be allergies. On Sunday afternoon, we drove to the Oakland International airport, where we were to escort him to catch a flight to San Diego. He was going for a 10-day visit to his aunt and uncle, who live in Ocean Beach, a few blocks from the Pacific. On the drive to the airport, my son conked out in the car and slept--really slept. That's not like him.

As we were lining up at the Southwest Airlines check-in counter to get his boarding pass and our security passes to accompany our "unaccompanied minor" to his gate, I noticed the swine flu warning signs posted on the sides of the counter and around the rest of the airport. Last week, we heard that two residents of Alameda County with swine flu had died.

Well, what do you know? As my husband and I were finalizing our son's check-in, my son said he was feeling sick. Very sick. As in, I gotta-throw-up-right-now sick.

We retreated to some seats, and I felt his forehead and hands. (Ever since my son was little, find that feeling the temperature of his hands tells me whether he's feverish). And, indeed, he felt hot to me, and we decided he was not okay to get on a plane. We returned home, and, yes, he had a  fever of about 100 degrees. He drank a couple sips of water, got into bed, and slept the rest of the night.

In the meantime, I called our doctor's advice nurse, and was told that he probably didn't need to be seen unless he was showing severe symptoms and was not able to hold down any fluids. And, yes, I visited the swine flu web pages of both the Contra Costa Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. I was also re-reading a very informative blog by SFGate.com's medical columnist Jan Gurley on how to tell swine flu from regular flu. I wrote about her blog in this earlier post. All sources advised anyone with flu-like symptoms to not go to school or work and to avoid publlic gatherings.

Fortunately, my son felt better Monday morning--no fever--and acted back-to-normal by Monday afternoon. After he was symptom-free for more than 24 hours, as the CDC says in its travel advisory, he flew to San Diego yesterday afternoon.

In the meantime, both my husband and I woke this morning with sore throats and sniffles. I usually shake these infections off pretty quickly, but I worry about my husband getting colds and other upper respiratory infections because he has asthma and a tendency to develop bronchitis.

Did my son have swine flu? Do my husband and I now have it? Contra Costa Health Services estimates that there are hundreds of cases in the county.

In a press release about the Contra Costa man's death, Health Services Director Wendell Brunner said: "His death reminds us that even though most of the H1N1 cases in Contra Costa and the state have been mild or moderate, all flu viruses can be deadly and everyone should remain vigilant in helping to prevent the spread of H1N1 and seasonal flu."

The release added that doctors are only going to test those people who wind up in the hospital or dead. So unless my husband or I wind up in either category, we'll never know.

Medical expert explains how a healthy person can suddenly die from any flu and the difference between swine flu and regular flu

With news reports from Claycord.com and the Contra Costa Times saying that two more students at Concord's El Monte Elementary have flu-like symptoms--and that swine flu is a possible culprit, I thought I’d direct you to SFgate.com’s medical blogger, Jan Gurley, who explains how to tell the difference between regular flu and swine flu and how either one can kill an otherwise healthy person.

Gurley, a board-certified internist physician and health writer, is writing in response to the May 29 death of Karen Perez, a 9-year-old at El Monte Elementary. At the time of her death, she had been suffering from swine flu and a secondary bacterial infection.

Gurley begins her post by reminding readers that many people die from the regular flu every year “and most of us probably assume that those afflicted are only the very elderly or chronically ill.” One thing about the coverage of the swine flu (more officially known as H1N1 virus) and the death of Karen is that both remind us that even seemingly healthy young people can die from the flu.

Here are some key points she makes in her blog, which you can read here:

--The “flu” we usually get is actually a cold.
--Flu, in contrast to a cold, is “often described as initially making you feel as though you'd been hit by a bus - a whole body ache that not many other things can cause. “
-- On the other hand, swine flu is often described as NOT causing the whole-body ache.
-- Regular flu also often comes with a high fever of 101 degrees plus.
-- Any illness that progresses rapidly can kill you, whether its regular flu or swine flu. “So maybe you've had one day of the aches, a low grade temp and a little nausea—but if you progress in that one day from a wee bit of nausea to puking constantly, having watery diarrhea, and getting dizzy when you stand, you've got to help soon.
--“Any illness that makes you feel short of breath means you need a prompt evaluation.”
--With word that Perez also suffered a secondary bacterial infection, Gurley explains that this can happen with flu: “First, flu of all kinds causes your body to pump out flu-fighting glycoproteins (called cytokines) and special immune cells. This physiologic response is very specific to viruses. Unfortunately, the unintended consequence of -your body's eager flu reaction is that it can leave you very susceptible to bacterial infections.
--Her bottom line: "If something that feels like the flu is burning through your friends/famly/social group, be sure to watch yourself and others for rapidly progressing symptoms, an inability to keep fluids down (or in!), any shortness of breath, and any "new" symptoms after four to five days."

9 year old Concord girl, with swine flu, dies: How worried should we be?

The news of the May 29 death of Karen Perez, a student at El Monte Elementary School, is of course tragic and troubling. The troubling part comes from the fact that Contra Costa Health officials announced that that a state laboratory test confirmed Wednesday that Karen was infected with swine flu—or H1N1 virus.

However, what's still not known is whether she died of swine flu or something else. She also had a secondary bacterial infection.

Remember the swine flu hysteria of late April, when news of the illness first broke? State and U.S. health officials recommended the 14-day closure of schools, where children came down with suspected or confirmed cases of the illness. Several schools in the East Bay suburbs were closed. Were those closures necessary? Did the media hype fears about this flu and a possible global pandemic?

As it became clear that most cases of the illness were rather mild, health officials relaxed that recommendation, and said school closures were no longer necessary.

"We want to emphasize that there are hundreds of H1N1 cases in the county. The vast majority of these cases have mild or moderate illness, and the patients recover. Tragically, this child did not," said Wendell Brunner, Contra Costa public health director, according to a story in the Contra Costa Times.

The Times also reported:

Karen is the first person in the Bay Area and the first child in the state who died after contracting the virus. Two other Californians with the virus have died; nationwide, at least 20 people with H1N1 have died.

The Concord girl is the seventh person younger than 18 to die from a flu-related illness in California this year. The other deaths were associated with the regular seasonal flu virus.

Many of the swine flu-related deaths reported have involved victims with previous medical conditions. What makes the Concord case unusual, Brunner said, is that Karen was a healthy girl.

Brunner stressed that no schools would be closed and parents should not be concerned. The child was taken out of school more than seven days ago — the flu's incubation period — so no more precautions are necessary at the campus, he said.

According to the latest June 3 update from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

The virus is infecting people and is spreading from person-to-person, sparking a growing outbreak of illness in the United States. An increasing number of cases are being reported internationally as well.

It’s thought that H1N1 flu spreads in the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread; mainly through the coughs and sneezes of people who are sick with the virus.

It’s uncertain at this time how severe this novel H1N1 outbreak will be in terms of illness and death compared with other influenza viruses. Because this is a new virus, most people will not have immunity to it, and illness may be more severe and widespread as a result. In addition, currently there is no vaccine to protect against this novel H1N1 virus. CDC anticipates that there will be more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths associated with this new virus in the coming days and weeks.

Swine flu may be turning up in San Ramon, Pleasanton; students in Concord tested; but the disease may not be as potent as first feared

Update 1 p.m. The Contra Costa Times says that Lone Tree Elementary in Antioch will be closed Monday and possibly remain closed for up to two weeks after a student there tested probable for the swine flu.


Earlier Saturday: Contra Costa County Health officials announced Friday night that they were closing Coyote Creek Elementary in San Ramon after a probable case of H1N1 virus—what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention prefers to now call the swine flu—showed up there. So reports CBS5.


Also, 13 students and one staff member in the Pleasanton schools were tested for possible infection, though the results have not yet come back yet, the Pleasanton Weekly says. Students at a Concord elementary also were tested, but those results turned out negative.


These young people and adults join the some 20 people, whose suspected or confirmed cases of infection, have shown up in the Bay Area in the past week.


Worries about the spread of the illness have so far prompted the closure of nine schools throughout the Bay Area, CBS5 says, including the one in San Ramon, one in Pittsburg and one, announced Friday, in Bay Point, the Contra Costa Times says. At the Bay Point school, a second grader tested positive for the illness. Those schools will remain closed for 14 days in accordance with new CDC guidelines.


John Muir Medical Center this week set up tents at its Walnut Creek and Concord campuses to examine patients who fear they might have the illness, the Times says. Health officials have been encouraging people who have mild flu-like symptoms to contact their doctors instead of overloading hospitals.


The CDC says that there have so far been 141 cases of H1N1 infection, according to the CDC. Most of the cases have been mild, and one flu expert told the Huffington Post that there's no reason to believe the new virus is a more serious strain than seasonal flu. However, one death has been confirmed in the United States, a toddler from Mexico who was visiting the United States.

For more information about the swine flu, including known facts about the virus, symptoms, and links to national and local public health sites, visit CBS5.com's Health Watch page.

Swine flu concerns--or hysteria?--it's gripping the East Bay suburbs; Three possible cases show up in Pittsburg elementary

Update Wednesday a.m.: The Contra Costa Times reports that Contra Costa health officials decided to close a Pittsburg elementary school for a week, after tests there revealed three probable cases of swine flu. All the cases were described as "mild."

Teachers at Highlands Elementary School were contacting their students' families Tuesday night to inform them of the decision. ... Thirteen children from the school were either sent home or called in sick Tuesday with flu-like symptoms. The fourth-graders, including one with a relative who recently visited from Mexico, all are in the same class. The school notified county officials.

Tuesday night: My boss came to work today saying she did not feel well--like she was getting a cold. Another co-worker has been out the past two days, and was sick all weekend with cold- and flu-like symptoms. She even went to the hospital, and the staff told her that she appeared to have a regular cold and didn't test her for you-know-what.

This afternoon, two more co-workers complained of not "feeling well" and went home. I admit I had this slight queasy feeling in my stomach today, but I told myself that it was probably in my head because I, like most everyone else, had you-know-what on my brain.

I don't doubt that my boss and co-workers were genuinely feeling crappy with a bad cold or flu--but not necessarily that flu--but I decided my slight queasy feeling was a psychological reaction to hearing about the growing alarm about you-know-what, especially after hearing that cases of you-know-what had been confirmed today in Marin County. A case of you-know-what is also suspected of showing up in Santa Clara County. The patient is a teenage girl who had recently traveled to Southern California. CBS5 says she has recovered from her illness.

Okay, yes, I'm talking about the swine flu. In no way do I mean to make light of it, not with the World Health Organization saying the epidemic has "entered a dangerous new phase" as the death toll climbed to 152 in Mexico and the number infected in that country has risen to nearly 2,000.

(By the way, I was just watching the news with my son, and he asked, "Does this mean this is the end of the world?")

Here, in the United States, the number of cases has risen to 68, with cases being reported in New York, Ohio, Indiana, Kansas, Texas, and, yes, California. Forty-five of those cases have shown up in New York. Worldwide, the number of cases stands at close to 80, in Canada, Spain, and Scotland. WHO officials say most of those infected, including the Marin County cases--a 60-year-old woman and her 20-month-old graddaughter--had recently returned from trips to Mexico.

Today, Acalanes Union High School Superintendent Jim Negri sent out a notice to parents in his district--which covers Lamorinda and Walnut Creek--letting parents know that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger had declared in a State of Emergency.

Negri said the district "will continue to monitor the situation" in its schools and keep faculty, staff, parents, and students informed.

Well, as I said, I hope my co-workers are just getting a late spring case of regular old flu or cold--although as my boss pointed out (quoting her very press-cynical husband) that thousands of people die every year in the United States of so-called regular flu. And does that fact make news headlines? Does that generate declarations of a Public Health Emergency or a State of Emergency from everyone from Arnold Schwarzenegger to top WHO officials? No.

What do you think? Are you worried about the swine flu? Do you think we're falling prey to public hysteria? Do you think the press, or our political and health leaders are over-hyping this "story"? Or, are they reacting in a way that's necessary to what some worry could become a global pandemic?

Could deadly swine flu come here?

Update for Contra Costa County residents regarding the swine flu:

On it's website, the Contra Costa Health Services department confirms that local authorities are working closely with state and federal health authorities on concerns about a growing swine flu pandemic that has so far killed at least 60 people in Mexico and killed 100 more.

The good news for Contra Costa residents: There are no reported cases of swine flu in our county. ... There have been cases in California. All those have been mild to moderate and those infected have recovered. "

Also, so far no known cases of swine flu have shown up in Northern California. For more information on swine flu, visit the Contra Costa Health services website. To see the latest count on the number of cases in the United States (20 so far; seven in California), visit this page on the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Last night, I wrote that, given the Bay Area’s connections to Mexico and other parts of the world, Bay Area public health officials are monitoring the situation. They are also asking anyone with flu-like symptoms to stay home and call the doctor, and for hospitals and doctors to be on the look out for possible cases.


The San Francisco Chronicle confirms that Bay Area area health officials have stepped up their surveillance, but no outbreaks have been reported yet in our area.


The World Health Organization told the Associated Press that it “may be too late to contain” this new flu strain, a global pandemic is possible, and declared this outbreak in Mexico “a public health emergency of international concern.”

Says the Huffington Post:

At least two cases of the human swine influenza have been confirmed in Kansas and one more in California. At least eight students at a New York City high school probably have swine flu, but health officials said Saturday they don't know whether they have the same strain of the virus that has killed scores of people in Mexico.

At least nine swine flu cases have been reported in California and Texas. The new California case, the seventh there, was a 35-year-old Imperial County woman who was hospitalized but recovered. The woman, whose illness began in early April, had
no known contact with the other cases.

Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A flu viruses, the CDC's Web site says. Human cases of swine flu are uncommon but can happen in people who are around pigs and can be spread from person to person. Symptoms of the flu include a fever of more than 100 degrees, body aches, coughing, a sore throat, respiratory congestion and, in some cases, vomiting and diarrhea.

This virus is particularly worrisome because it combines genetic material from pigs, birds and humans in a way researchers “have not yet seen before.” People don’t have immunity to it. Flu can also spread quickly around the glove, and one doctor, Michael Osterholm at the University of Minnesota, told the Associated Press that there are probably cases incubating around the world already.


The CDC and Canadian health officials were studying samples sent from Mexico, and airports around the world were screening passengers from Mexico for symptoms of the new flu strain, saying they may quarantine passengers.