Illinois performing confirmatory testing for H1N1 flu

State public health officials report 82 confirmed cases

[May 06, 2009]  SPRINGFIELD -- On Tuesday, Dr. Damon T. Arnold, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, reported 82 confirmed cases of H1N1 flu (swine flu) and 40 probable cases in Illinois. This number increased significantly from Monday's total of nine confirmed cases in the state. Illinois Department of Public Health laboratories are now able to perform confirmatory testing, which is why there was such a large increase in confirmed cases from one day to the next.

"The large increase in the number of confirmed cases was expected and is not cause for alarm," Arnold said. "It does not mean there is a dramatic increase of the H1N1 flu in Illinois communities; it simply means we are now able to perform confirmatory testing at the state level and can therefore obtain confirmed results more quickly,"

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent testing reagents to the Illinois Department of Public Health laboratories over the weekend. Illinois was one of the first two states in the country to be approved by the CDC to conduct confirmatory testing for H1N1 flu in state laboratories. Previously the state had to send specimens of probable H1N1 flu cases to CDC for confirmatory testing. The state laboratories can typically complete testing of a specimen within 48 hours of receiving it.

The state health director reminds people to take precautions to stay healthy by following the three C's:

• Clean -- Properly wash your hands frequently.

• Cover -- Cover your cough and sneeze.

• Contain -- Contain your germs by staying home if you are sick.

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency set up a toll-free line last week for Illinois residents to call and ask questions about H1N1 flu. As of Tuesday morning, there had been approximately 500 calls. The information line, 866-848-2094 for English and 866-241-2138 for Spanish, operates from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

"The Illinois Department of Public Health continues to be vigilant and will respond to the changing outbreak as needed," the director said.

For additional information on staying healthy, school guidance, the number of H1N1 cases and more, go to www.ready.illinois.gov.

[Text from Illinois Department of Public Health file received from the Illinois Office of Communication and Information]