SEATTLE — Ten more probable cases of swine flu were reported in Washington state today, bringing to 35 the number of probable cases in five counties.
Dozens of other confirmed or suspected cases were reported around the Northwest.
The state Department of Health reports that 10 of the probable cases are in Snohomish County, 21 are in King County, one each are in Skagit and Pierce counties, and two are in Spokane County.
Four of the new probable cases are in Snohomish County and six in King County.
The local health department for Seattle and King County reported one additional probable case.
None of the cases reported by the state had been confirmed, but state Health Department spokesman Tim Church said formal test results should be received from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention early this week. He said the state’s lab continued to test samples over the weekend.
The state figure includes cases in which samples were sent to the state lab for testing, and then sent to federal health officials for positive identification.
In British Columbia, Michelle Stewart of the B.C. Health Ministry said seven new cases were reported, bringing the total of confirmed cases in B.C. as of today to 29.
Oregon reported three confirmed cases, with another 19 probable cases. The CDC today reported one confirmed case in a Kootenai County woman in northern Idaho.
Truckloads of medication and other supplies began arriving in Washington over the weekend as a precaution in case they are needed to treat people with the flu, known as the H1N1 strain.
The supplies are from the federal government’s Strategic National Stockpile, and include enough antiviral medication — Tamiflu and Relenza — to treat about 230,000 people, the Health Department said. The medications must be prescribed, the department said.
“It’s important to know that these antivirals will be used to fill prescriptions to treat people who are sick only if commercial supplies run out,” state Secretary of Health Mary Selecky said.
At least one of the Washington victims — a Seattle boy — was hospitalized because of the illness, but other cases were reported to be relatively mild.
The tally of confirmed swine flu cases in the United States jumped Sunday to 244 in 34 states, but officials said that was largely from catching up on a backlog of lab tests rather than a sudden spurt in new infections.
The only swine flu death in the U.S. is that of a Mexican toddler who was visiting Texas.
Despite the lack of confirmed cases in Washington, several schools in the Puget Sound area decided to shut down because of suspected swine flu — or reopen after concerns were dispelled.
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