Suspected cases of swine flu in Iowa (WHO)
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The state could find out Thursday if Iowa has its first two confirmed cases of the swine flu virus. The University Hygienic Lab in Iowa City ruled out seasonal flu and now the two samples are being tested by the Centers for Disease Control.
The CDC has informed the Iowa Department of Public Health that results of the tests could come Thursday night or Friday morning. As a precaution, the state is preparing an emergency declaration.
One of the possible cases involves a California man who recently visited Des Moines, Johnson and Muscatine counties. The other, is a woman who recently visited Mexico and later went to Scott and Clinton counties.
If the cases are confirmed, Governor Culver says he will issue a public health disaster declaration. That would allow the state access to anti-viral medication and help mobilize medical response teams. The state also gets permission to quarantine infected individuals.
"Given the two probable cases in Iowa, I've asked the Department of Public Health to activate their emergency coordinating center located in the Lucas state office building to ensure a constant flow of information from communities to the appropriate state officials," says Governor Culver.
The state is preparing early in case the number of confirmed cases rises and the virus here in the U.S. becomes a more deadly strain like the one in Mexico.
The CDC has informed the Iowa Department of Public Health that results of the tests could come Thursday night or Friday morning. As a precaution, the state is preparing an emergency declaration.
One of the possible cases involves a California man who recently visited Des Moines, Johnson and Muscatine counties. The other, is a woman who recently visited Mexico and later went to Scott and Clinton counties.
If the cases are confirmed, Governor Culver says he will issue a public health disaster declaration. That would allow the state access to anti-viral medication and help mobilize medical response teams. The state also gets permission to quarantine infected individuals.
"Given the two probable cases in Iowa, I've asked the Department of Public Health to activate their emergency coordinating center located in the Lucas state office building to ensure a constant flow of information from communities to the appropriate state officials," says Governor Culver.
The state is preparing early in case the number of confirmed cases rises and the virus here in the U.S. becomes a more deadly strain like the one in Mexico.
