By Ceci Connolly
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, May 3, 2009
...A Fortuitous Test
The medical detective work that unearthed the 2009 outbreak of swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) -- more commonly known as swine flu -- began with a bit of happenstance.
On March 30, a 10-year-old boy in Southern California developed a cough and fever. Normally, doctors wouldn't have bothered testing for the flu; they would have given him medicine and sent him home.
But the Naval Health Research Center in San Diego was participating in a clinical trial of new, 30-minute flu tests, so they took a nasal swab and tested it the next day....
...Interesting but not stunning, thought Daniel B. Jernigan, Cox's deputy in the flu division. As the person overseeing the rapid-flu-test project in San Diego and other sites, Jernigan makes his living tracking influenza cases. He had seen a dozen swine flu cases in recent years, most often a child who had visited a petting zoo or a farmer who had come in contact with a sick pig.
WHO Influenza A(H1N1) - update 11
3 May 2009 -- As of 0600 GMT, 3 May 2009, 17 countries have officially reported 787 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection.
Mexico has reported 506 confirmed human cases of infection, including 19 deaths. The higher number of cases from Mexico in the past 48 hours reflects ongoing testing of previously collected specimens. The United States Government has reported 160 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death.
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