Confirmed: NM Teen Recovers from Swine Flu

Department of Health Reports First Confirmed H1N1 Influenza Case.
Case is 18-year-old Valencia County Male Who Has Recovered

(Santa Fe) – The New Mexico Department of Health Department announced today that New Mexico has its first confirmed H1N1 influenza case. The Department of Health received confirmation from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this afternoon on New Mexico's first probable case in an 18-year-old male from Valencia County. CDC also reported that the 1-year-old male from Santa Fe County did not have H1N1 flu.

The Department is investigating seven new probable cases for a total of 14 probable cases and one confirmed case in New Mexico. The new cases are in Eddy, Hidalgo and Luna counties. The Department does not have any information yet on the condition of the new probable cases. The previously reported cases are all recovering or recovered. All cases range in age from 5 to 39 and are located in six counties.

Total probable cases in New Mexico:
* New probable cases

Bernalillo
27-year-old male
Recovering

Eddy County
17-year-old female
22-year-old female
*24-year-old female
*7-year-old male
*39-year-old (gender unknown)
Recovering Recovering
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown

Hidalgo County
17-year-old male
*15-year-old female
*9-year-old male
*5-year-old female
Recovering
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown

Luna County
*11-year-old female
Unknown

Socorro County
14-year-old female
15-year-old male
Recovering
Recovered

Valencia County
15-year-old female
Recovered.

The Department is investigating all cases to determine how patients may have gotten sick and find others who may have been exposed to H1N1. The Department does not have information yet about how the probable cases may have gotten sick. The investigation into all cases is ongoing. The Scientific Lab has tested 113 patient samples so far. The Department expects to receive information from the CDC on the probable cases in Socorro County next week.

"Our Scientific Laboratory is working through the weekend to test samples and be ready to confirm H1N1 influenza cases next week without sending samples to CDC," said Health Secretary Alfredo Vigil, MD. "Our Epidemiology and Response Division is also working every day to learn information about the probable cases to try to prevent anyone else from getting sick."

The Department has 140,000 treatment courses of anti-virals in New Mexico so far. The Department expects 210,000 additional anti-virals from the CDC. The Department will give anti-virals first to sick patients who need treatment. Many people who get sick will not need anti-virals.

H1N1 flu symptoms include fever (above 100) and sore throat or cough. If sick, people should stay home and call their health care provider. "The best precautions you can take are washing your hands frequently, staying home if you are sick and covering your cough with a tissue or your arm," Dr. Vigil said.

For current information please consult, the CDC website at: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/ and http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/ or the NM Department of Health website at: http://nmhealth.org/FLU/seasonal/swine_flu.html.

For general questions about H1N1 flu, call the state's H1N1 Influenza Hotline at 1-866-850-5893. People who have symptoms may call the Nurse Advice New Mexico at 1-877-725-2552. The Department also set up a specific hotline for callers who speak Spanish: 1-800-784-0394.

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