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Colo. Health Dept. Announces 4 Additional H1N1 Cases

Second Baggage Handler Found With Swine Flu

POSTED: 8:45 am MDT May 5, 2009

A second baggage handler at Denver International Airport has been confirmed with a case of H1N1 swine flu virus.

The announcement came Tuesday morning from Denver Public Health.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Colorado Department of Health announced four additional cases of H1N1 swine flu, bringing the state total to 10 confirmed cases.

The latest cases are two elementary school students -- a child from Adams County and a boy from Jefferson County, a woman in her 30s from Fremont County and a college-age man from Adams County.

It was not clear if the case announced by Denver was the college-age man on the list released by the state health department.

Aurora Public Schools announced a student at Park Lane Elementary School has tested positive for H1N1 and that the school would be closed until further notice.

The Tri-County Health Department said the second-grade student is at home recovering.

"The CDC revised their recommendations on H1N1 influenza in schools just this morning, stating that they believe it is safe for any school with a single confirmed case to remain open," said Richard L. Vogt, MD, executive director of Tri-County Health Department. "However, the school district has decided to err on the side of caution and close the school."

"We will send staff members to the school to advise them on influenza precautions, and since H1N1 influenza information is being updated on a daily basis, we are working closely with school administrators regarding ongoing decisions," he said.

"The more prudent, reflective and wiser decision in my opinion is to take a little bit of a breather and find out exactly what we have," said John Barry, superintendent of Aurora Public Schools.

An incident response team will convene Wednesday to determine when the school should reopen. Barry said it could be as soon as Thursday and will notify parents as soon as a decision is made.

In Boulder, officials at the University of Colorado confirmed that a student at the university has H1N1.

Test results are still pending on two other students who live off campus and have developed flu like symptoms.

"We took strong containment measures with the individual in our residence halls and we do not feel at this time that there is any significant threat posed to the larger CU community by his testing positive," said Dr. Pamela Talley, lead physician for medical clinics at Wardenburg Health Center.

CU officials closed "discretionary events" on campus but said commencement ceremonies and finals will continue as scheduled.

Denver Health said it was investigating any connection between the two baggage handlers having H1N1. The process includes evaluating the physical environment; interviewing co-workers and others in the immediate area; and developing hypotheses on the possible source of the illness and if there is any possibility for future spread.

"This is a typical investigation that is conducted whenever multiple illnesses are reported within a geographically contained area," said Dr. Chris Urbina, director of Denver Public Health. "This is routine, standard protocol when illnesses such as E. coli, salmonella or regular influenza are reported."

Epidemiologists from Denver Public Health, Denver Environmental Health, Tri-County Health Department and Jefferson County Department of Health and Environment are working together to determine if commonalities exist between the two cases.

The first DIA baggage handler with Swine flu was announced last week and was one of the two first cases of H1N1 confirmed in the state.

People who experience influenza symptoms should stay home for seven days after onset of symptoms or at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved, whichever is longer. The state is working closely with public health officials in the counties where cases are confirmed.

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