Swine flu case diagnosed in Lorain County; Ely Elementary School closed for one week

"The child is doing just fine," Boylan said. "And for that we are grateful."

Swine flu can be spread by an infected person through sneezing or coughing. Boylan said cleaning crews wiped down desks at Ely Elementary School over the weekend. But health officals believed Sunday night that The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would be issuing a recommendation to close any school with a confirmed case of swine flu.

Boylan said that boy was taken to a hospital Friday night with a fever and flu-like symptoms. She credited an alert pediatric nurse with suspecting that the boy could have swine flu.

EMH pediatric nurse Sally Fenik had just seen a report on television describing the outbreak in Mexico. Fenik told Channel 3's Mike O'Mara that the boy's mother initially thought he was suffering from strep throat.

Said Fenik, "But she also shared with me that they had been in Mexico after a two-week vacation. So I agreed to do the strep test but then I explained to her that we needed to check for influenza A and B and possible swine flu.

"At first the lab thought I was crazy. Swine flu? No way! But then they realized the connection to Mexico and did the tests. I'm glad we got it right."

The boy's lab specimens were tested and confirmed by the Ohio Department of Health and forwarded to the CDC.

Sunday, parents of the 350 students at Ely Elementary received automated phone calls about the swine flu case. The phone message also instructed parents about the symptoms to watch out for in monitoring their child's health.

Lorain County's Emergency Management Agency activated their Homeland Security Operations Center Sunday. Emergency response team members went to the homes of Ely school parents to make sure they were aware of the swine flu case and to explain how it is transmitted from person to person.

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A phone hotline, manned by public health nurses, was established at the Elyria City Health District to answer questions about swine flu. People with questions about swine flu can call the phone bank at (440) 324-3177.

"I urge Ohioans to be alert to information about this new flu," said ODH Director Alvin D. Jackson, M.D. "In addition, the tried-and-true saying about washing hands and covering one's cough remains sound medical advice."

Lorain County Emergency Management Director Tom Kelley told Channel 3 that two more unconfirmed cases have been reported in Amherst. Those lab results have been forwarded to the Ohio Department of Health for review.

The World Health Organization will meet again Tuesday to examine the spread of a deadly swine flu and decide
whether to raise the alert for a possible pandemic. Canada is the third country after the U.S and Mexico to have confirmed cases of the virus.

As many as 86 people have been killed by the flu in Mexico. There are 20 confirmed cases in the U.S., but no deaths.

Symptoms of the swine flu virus are very similar to the seasonal flu and include fever, weakness, coughing and lack of appetite.

To avoid catching any form of influenza it is recommended you cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.

Wash your hands often with soap and water and use alcohol-based hand sanitizers to kill germs.

Also, try to avoid close contact with sick people and see your doctor if you feel you maybe getting sick.