Sibley County has first case of H1N1 flu virus
June 18th, 2009A four-year-old child has the first confirmed diagnosis of the H1N1 flu (swine flu) in Sibley County.
Sibley County Public Health Director Allie Freidrichs said that she was recently notified of the diagnosis by the regional epidemiologist. Freidrichs said she was not told where the child lived but believed the child had been hospitalized. No action was required by Sibley County Public Health, Freidrichs said.
Currently, the H1N1 flu is mild and acting like seasonal flu, according to Freidrichs.
Nearly every region in Minnesota has at least one confirmed diagnosis of H1N1. The Sibley County case was the first case in the South Central Region of Minnesota.
Freidrichs said her department is more concerned about the fall, because there is fear that the H1N1 flu virus would mutate with the seasonal flu. An H1N1 vaccine is being developed, she said.
A Twin Cities radio station reported Monday that a five-year-old Minneapolis girl did late last week from H1N1. It was Minnesota’s first confirmed death from the H1N1 flu virus.
