A seventh-grader from a private school in Fair Oaks has tested positive for swine flu, Sacramento County public health officials confirmed this morning.
The sample from the St. Mels School student was tested at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and came back positive, making it the first confirmed sample in Northern California, county Public Health Officer Dr. Glennah Trochet stated in a news release.
The case increases the number of confirmed swine flu cases in California to eight. There have been three confirmed cases reported in Imperial County and four confirmed cases reported in San Diego County, according to the state Department of Public Health.
Sacramento County health officials are planning to hold a news conference at 3:30 p.m. to answer questions and release any new information that might be available, said Laura McCasland, a spokeswoman for the county Department of Health and Human Services.
Sacramento County health officials have not received any new reports of possible swine flu today, she said.
On Sunday, health and church officials temporarily closed St. Mels Catholic School in Fair Oaks because the seventh grader fell ill with what today was confirmed to be the new strain of influenza known as swine flu.
Several other students also have become ill, and the school will be closed at least through Wednesday.
County health staff is continuing to work today with the Fair Oaks school and contacting students' families.
State public health officials have not released any information about new reports of swine flu and are planning to hold a news conference this afternoon.
Placer, El Dorado, Yuba, Sutter, Nevada and Yolo counties have not received any reports of possible swine flu cases, public information and health officers confirmed this morning.
"We do have surveillance in place with hospitals and health care providers," said Margaret Williams, El Dorado County's public information officer.
County officials, however, are planning to issue information to residents and the media to help ease fears.
In Yolo County, staff is updating its Web site, calling school districts and planning to issue a press release on swine flu.
"We are doing everything we know how to do the best way we can to get stuff out," said Dr. Joseph Iser, the county's director of public health and public health officer.
Surprisingly, hospitals and doctors in the region aren't being inundated with patients concerned over having contracted the virus.
None of Sutter General's patients have mentioned swine flu, but there have been a few patients at Sutter Memorial who wondered if they might have contracted the virus, said Gary Zavoral, a spokesman for Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento.
"So far, they're ruling out swine flu," he said. "It's one of the first things they're looking for."
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