Montgomery County has first confirmed PA swine flu case

Pennsylvania has its first confirmed case of swine flu, Gov. Rendell announced this afternoon.

A 31-year-old foreign national, who was traveling to Montgomery County from Mexico to work as a landscaper, has tested positive for the flu, or H1N1 virus, according to the governor, who spoke at a late-afternoon news briefing at the Montgomery County Health Department.

The man, who has a visa to work in the United States, arrived in the country on Wednesday and was met by his American sponsor, who recognized his symptoms and took steps to get him immediate treatment, Rendell and health officials said.

The man had a mild case of the H1N1 virus and has recovered without hospitalization, the officials said. He was isolated, they said, and is not believed to have spread the virus.

"Now that Pennsylvania has a confirmed case, it is even more important for the public to understand and follow the commonsense steps that can help prevent the spread of the flu," the governor said in a statement.

The Governor was joined at the news conference by Secretary of Health Everette James and acting Physician General Dr. Stephen Ostroff.

James urged residents to remain calm and said officials were taking every possible step to prevent the spread of the virus, including deploying anti-viral drugs to treat confirmed or probable cases of the disease.

"So far, most cases have been relatively mild and treatable with anti-virals," he said in a statement.

Another probable case of swine flu in the state was reported today by the Bucks County Health Department. The case, the first in Bucks County, involves a 20-year-old woman who recently traveled to Mexico, health officials said. She has not required hospitalization.

Bucks County Health Department and Emergency Management officials are working closely with the Pennsylvania Department of Health and federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the case and take the necessary steps to ensure the virus is contained, officials said.

The term "probable" means the county has received positive results from the state lab. Only a CDC test can confirm a case of swine flu or H1H1 virus.

In addition to today's confirmed case, seven probable cases of the H1N1 virus have been identified in Pennsylvania. In addition to the case in Bucks County, two were reported in Montgomery County and three in Philadelphia. Lycoming and Luzerne counties also have probable cases, according to health officials.

New Jersey has seven confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus, including four in Burlington County. Delaware has 10 confirmed cases.