Connecticut State Department of Public Health

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE             CONTACT: Chris Cooper, 860-524-7313

May 12, 2009                                                            christopher.cooper@ct.gov        

  

 

            Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that the Department of Public Health has confirmed 5 new cases of novel H1N1 flu (swine flu) among Connecticut residents.

 

            One of the positive results for H1N1 flu was confirmed today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the other four were confirmed today by the department’s Public Health Laboratory.  The confirmed cases are residents of Darien, Greenwich, Pawcatuck, and Fairfield.

 

            “We continue to expect new cases, and now our own state laboratory is able to do the testing so we do not have to wait for responses from the federal Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta,” Governor Rell said. “Happily, the cases we have seen continue to be relatively mild and people are recovering without needing to spend time in a hospital.”

 

            A total of 33 confirmed cases have now been identified among Connecticut residents. Among the 33 cases, ages range from 4 to 56; 17 are female and 16 are male. Cases are from the following counties: Fairfield, 22; Hartford, 5; New Haven, 3; New London, 2; and Middlesex, 1.

 

            None of the cases required hospitalization and all are recovering or have since recovered.  Cases have been confirmed in the following towns: Danbury (1), Darien (2), Derby (1), Fairfield (10), Glastonbury (1), Greenwich (2), Hartford (1), Manchester (1), Middlefield (1), New Haven (1), North Granby (1), Old Saybrook (1), Pawcatuck (1), Ridgefield (4), Stamford (1), Stratford (1), Waterbury (1), Wethersfield (1), and Wilton (1).

 

            “The Department of Public Health will continue to monitor for additional cases,” the Governor said. “We continue to encourage people to take simple, common-sense precautions to protect themselves and prevent the spread of the flu. People with flu-like symptoms should call their doctor.”

 

            DPH continues to ask residents to take precautions to prevent getting the flu or spreading it by staying home from work or school if they are sick, washing their hands frequently, and coughing or sneezing into their sleeve or a tissue.

 

            For more information on swine flu:

 

 

 

 

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