Mich. reports 4 more probable cases of swine flu

5/2/2009
ASSOCIATED PRESS

LANSING, Mich. The state on Saturday announced it has identified four new probable cases of swine flu in southwestern Michigan, including three in Kent County and one in Muskegon County.

With the announcement of the latest additional probable cases, Michigan now has 20 probable cases. The new probable cases will be sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for testing.

Michigan Department of Community Health Director Janet Olszewski said Friday the state expected to see new cases. She said Michigan has enough anti-viral drugs to respond to the outbreak of H1N1 influenza A.

The federal government so far has confirmed two H1N1 cases in Michigan, one in Ottawa County in southwestern Michigan and one in Livingston County northwest of Detroit.

Saturday s new probable cases brings to six the number of probable cases in Kent County and marks the first probable case in Muskegon County.

Ottawa County has 10 probable cases, which health officials said Friday were contracted by students at Hope College in Holland. There also have been two cases in Macomb County and one in Hillsdale County.

One of the Macomb County cases was contracted by a student at L Anse Creuse High School in Harrison Township, 30 miles northeast of Detroit. The school will be tentatively close until May 11 pending test outcomes.

The CDC is shipping kits to Michigan so the state can confirm H1N1 cases on its own. That should lead to quicker results.