First case of H1N1 flu confirmed in Rowan County

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 2:58 PM  |  Printer friendly version | E-mail to a friend |

By Kathy Chaffin

kchaffin@salisburypost.com

The Rowan County Health Department has confirmed a case of novel H1N1 flu in a child.

Nora Cartner, adult public health nurse supervisor for the department, said the child attended a Cabarrus County daycare center with a Cabarrus child who also tested positive for the novel H1N1 flu, also known as the swine flu. She said the health department was informed of the case last Thursday by a local medical provider who treated the child.

Dr. William "Fred" Pilkington, director of the Cabarrus Health Alliance, said both children were 3 years old and were tested for the flu after exhibiting cold-like symptoms on doctor visits for other health issues. "They had been doing their regular routines every day," he said.

Cartner said Rowan Health Department officials advised the family of the Rowan child to take the usual precautions they normally would with the flu.

"We asked them to self-isolate in the home," she said, and to keep the child home for 24 additional hours after being free of symptoms.

Pilkington said parents of children at the daycare and the staff were informed of the two cases. "We're fairly sure this is not the index case, possibly not even in that daycare center," he said.

Another child exhibited similar symptoms the week before, Pilkington said.

Cartner said the two cases were among 108 confirmed in 28 counties in North Carolina.

On June 11, the World Health Organization raised the worldwide pandemic alert to Phase 6 in response to the ongoing global spread of the H1N1 flu.

More than 70 countries are now reporting cases of novel H1N1 flu.

Contact Kathy Chaffin at 704-797-7683.