No swine flu reports in Iowa
CORALVILLE (MCT) — Employees at the University Hygienic Laboratory are on alert for a surge in swine flu tests. The lab, which is in charge of Iowa’s environmental and public health testing, sent out 800 collection tubes to clinics and hospitals around the state on Tuesday and another 600 on Monday.
Lab workers processed 10 specimens Monday and 29 on Tuesday.
None was positive for the strain of flu associated with the outbreak. “We anticipate the number of specimens will increase as the week goes on,” said Lucy DesJardin, program manager for molecular diagnostics.
DesJardin said the lab, based at the University of Iowa’s Oakdale campus, has implemented its incident command system. The system was used during last year’s flood and Iowa’s 2006 mumps epidemic.
In this case, the incident command is being used in response to the surge in flu specimen testing, with lab employees being moved from other areas to help process the samples, DesJardin said.
As of Tuesday, the number of confirmed cases climbed to 66 in Kansas, California, Indiana, Ohio, Texas and New York. None was in Iowa.
Most of the sick exhibited flu symptoms after traveling to Mexico, where about 2,000 cases have been reported, including an estimated 149 deaths.
A test for swine flu of a patient at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids came back negative.
“We try to get results out that day,” DesJardin said.
The lab can test for the flu strain, but because the virus is a new subtype, identification on the genetic makeup falls to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
That could change by the end of the week.
DesJardin said the CDC planned to distribute necessary supplies to the hygienic lab and others around the country to perform those tests in-house.
Health officials reiterated there is no risk of getting the virus from cooked pork products.
A phone line is operating for Iowans with questions about swine flu.
The Iowa Concern line, at 1-(800) 447-1985, is staffed by employees of Iowa State University Extension, including a nurse available to answer medical questions.
