Health officials today said there’s no indication the swine flu has spread locally beyond the patient at West Georgia Medical Center who was diagnosed Thursday.

The patient was reported in stable condition this morning in the intensive care unit where precautions have been taken to prevent any outbreak, said hospital President Jerry Fulks, adding, “She has improved on a day to day basis.”

Everyone in Georgia known to have been in contact with the woman has been called personally by public health staff and will be receiving anti-viral medication today to prevent any onset of the flu, said district Health Department spokesperson Hayla Hall.

She said a total of 16 lab specimens from Troup and the other nine counties in District 4 had been sent to to the state public health lab for testing as of 8 p.m. Thursday, but there had so far been no other positive results.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta was doing a flight investigation to notify people who may have been on the same flights back from Mexico.

The Bowling Green, Ky., woman, who recently spent a week in Cancun, Mexico, had driven to LaGrange from her home on April 23 with her 5-year-old daughter to attend a wedding, health officials said. Family members took the 30-year-old woman to the emergency room Sunday and she was admitted to the intensive care-unit.

The woman had arrived in Mexico on April 17. She began to feel ill the next day, with fever, chills and headache, but first thought it was because of too much sun. She flew home to Kentucky on April 21, then shopped in Atlanta on April 23 and 24. She went to LaGrange for the wedding rehearsal dinner on Saturday and to the wedding on Sunday.

Her daughter was “so far asymptomatic. She’s not ill,” said Dr. Susan Lance of the state Division of Public Health’s Office of Protection and Safety, said Thursday afternoon.

Fulks said the patient is in a room that’s properly ventilated so any airborne pathogens would be filtered out of the room. Nurses and doctors treating the patient are wearing masks, gowns and gloves.

“All precautions are being taken to make sure she is not exposed to other patients and family members,” Fulks said.

Fulks said the CDC informed the hospital’s lab at 7 a.m. Thursday that a specimen submitted to the agency had swine flu characteristics.

With only one case reported in Georgia, health officials were advising people to take the same precautions as they would during annual flu season: Wash hands frequently; cough or sneeze into the elbow or shoulder; and stay home if you’re feeling sick.

LaGrange Academy had baseball and soccer games scheduled for Thursday, but they were cancelled because the other teams didn’t’ want to come here under the current circumstances.

There has been no recommendation from health officials to close schools or cancel public meetings. Local recreation sports event went on as scheduled Thursday. East Coweta’s baseball team came to town for a game against Troup.

Earlier this year, both the Troup County government and public school system completed plans on dealing with a flu pandemic. The school board last month approved a memorandum of agreement with the county health department.

“The timing was very fortunate,” school system spokesperson Catherine Holmes said today. “I never want to work on a situation like this, but I have to say I feel very prepared because of the planning that was done.”

She said the school system is in constant communication with the county Health Department.

LaGrange area residents with questions about swine flu were advised to call 888-899-9788 toll-free.

Health officials encouraged people who experience flu-like symptoms to see a doctor.

Gov. Sonny Perdue urged people to remain calm.

“The state of Georgia has worked diligently over the past several years to prepare for a situation like this, and we are partnering with local and federal officials to respond appropriately,” he said in a statement.

story created on Thursday 4/30/09 at 4:49:25 pm by Dan Baker

story modified on Friday 5/1/09 at 9:31:10 am by Andrea Lovejoy

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A swine flu patient remained in stable condition today at West Georgia Medical Center and health officials said there’s no indication the disease has spread here.

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By Joel Martin

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Robyn Miles / Daily News

Local health officials, ringed by news media, participate in a conference call Thursday afternoon with state public health officials in Atlanta. A Kentucky woman, hospitalized at West Georgia Medical Center, is Georgia’s first confirmed case of swine flu.

created on Thursday 4/30/09 at 4:56:26 pm by Dan Baker

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