Third Probable Case Identified – Samples Sent to CDC for Confirmation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE             CONTACT: Rich Harris, 860-524-7313

April 29, 2009                                                           rich.harris@ct.gov

            Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that she has invited Connecticut school superintendents and municipal leaders to join her on a Thursday morning conference call to educate them about swine flu and update them on the steps the state has taken to deal with the illness. A similar call is scheduled for Thursday afternoon for fire and police chiefs from around the state.

            “I am holding these conference calls to make sure that school officials and the leaders of our cities and towns have the most up-to-date information possible,” Governor Rell said. “Our Department of Public Health has prepared guidelines and circulated them through the Department of Education, and the state has posted a wide range of information on the flu Web site, www.ct.gov/fluwatch/swineflu. These calls will help reinforce the positive steps that educators and municipal leaders can do to slow the spread of the flu and reassure parents and students.

            “The Commissioner of the Department of Public Health, Dr. J. Robert Galvin, and our state epidemiologist, Dr. Matt Cartter, will be on the calls with me,” the Governor said. “Our Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security will also participate on the calls.”

            Meanwhile, Governor Rell announced that a third probable case of swine flu has been identified in a child from Middlefield. Two other probable cases – both adults between the ages of 20 and 50 – were identified Tuesday. All three cases reported recent travel to Mexico, where the outbreak first appeared.

            Samples from all three cases have been sent to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for further testing. To date, no confirmed cases of swine flu have been identified in Connecticut.

            Several districts across the state have voluntarily closed one or more schools after students or staff who had recently traveled to Mexico reported falling ill.

            “Connecticut has been planning and preparing for several years to deal with pandemic illness,” Governor Rell said. “Our system of medical monitoring and early detection is working well and we are distributing antiviral medication and supplies well in advance of any possible need. The most important thing for people to do is monitor their own health and the health of their family members, take sensible precautions against catching or spreading illness and stay informed.”

            Earlier today Governor Rell announced that the state was distributing 9,152 treatment courses of antiviral medication to the state’s 31 acute-care hospitals. The 10-day treatment courses are coming from the state’s existing stockpile of more than 11,000 courses. The Governor has also requested the delivery of more than 130,000 additional treatment courses from the federal Strategic National Stockpile.

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