No local cases of swine flu, but county is ready

Charles County man among ‘probable' cases

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

"Fortunately the cases across the U.S. seem mild so far and we have had no probable or confirmed cases in Calvert County," said Kasia Sweeney, spokeswoman for Calvert Memorial Hospital.

She said the hospital held a physicians meeting last Thursday to make sure it had the tools and means to treat the virus if necessary. Sweeney also said the hospital has assigned a separate waiting area "for people who come in with symptoms of influenza."

A telephone recording on the Calvert County Department of Health answering service told the public that the department is working closely with Calvert Memorial Hospital in Prince Frederick, the local emergency management office, the Calvert County Board of Education and the state government.

The message also advises members of the public to wash their hands frequently and avoid contact with persons who might be infected.

Symptoms, the message said, are a fever of more than 100 degrees, cough or sore throat and history of travel to an affected area within seven days of illness onset.

Parents of students in Anne Arundel County schools received a recorded telephone message on Tuesday morning stating that there have been four confirmed cases of swine flu in Maryland, including one in Anne Arundel County. There are additional probable cases, including one man in Charles County, who is being tested for the illness. The 31-year-old man was in San Diego when the H1N1 virus broke out in Mexico City last weekend, said Fran Phipps, deputy secretary of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene at a press conference Friday afternoon. The man does not have any children so Charles County schools should not be impacted if the man tests positive for the virus, she said.

The man has been treated and is recovering, Phipps said.

The state is able to test for the virus this week because health officials have received the necessary testing material from the federal government to do it, state health officials said Monday.

The state has a large supply of antiviral drugs to distribute to sick people if necessary, said John M. Colmers, secretary of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, in a press release.

"We have 1.2 million antiviral courses of treatment on hand or available," he said in the release. "Maryland has a sufficient supply to protect and treat its population."

Prince George's County school officials closed Montpelier Elementary School in Laurel, Vansville Elementary School in Beltsville and University Park Elementary School in Hyattsville for at least 14 days, according to Prince George's County school officials.

In addition, Rockville High School will be closed until further notice, Folger McKinsey Elementary School in Anne Arundel County will be closed a minimum of five days and Millford Mill Academy will be closed until May 7, school officials said.

O'Malley declared a public school emergency in Maryland on Friday to prepare for the possible spread of swine flu. Folks are advised to exercise precautionary measures to avoid becoming ill or spreading the virus to others, O'Malley said.

Learn more about the virus at www.maryland.gov.

Staff Writer Carrie Lovejoy contributed to this story.