Cameron county sees first confirmed case of swine flu

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention activated its Emergency Operations Center to monitor the increasing threat from swine flu and to coordinate a response effort, state and local officials said Wednesday that a 23-month-old toddler from Cameron County has been infected with the potentially deadly virus.

This comes amid Wednesday's move from Dr. Margaret Chan, director-general of the World Health Organization, to raise the current level of the influenza pandemic alert from phase 4 to 5. Phase 5 means that a pandemic is "imminent." According to WHO, Phase 5 is characterized by human-to-human spread of the virus into at least two countries in one region. While most countries will not be affected at this stage, the declaration of Phase 5 is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short.

Phase 6, the pandemic phase, is characterized by community level outbreaks in at least one other country in a different WHO region, in addition to the criteria defined in Phase 5. Designation of this phase will indicate that a global pandemic is under way.

"For the first time in history, we can track the evolution of a pandemic in real-time," Chan said. "All countries should immediately activate their pandemic preparedness plans. Countries should remain on high alert for unusual outbreaks of influenza-like illness and severe pneumonia."

Chan also said that at this stage, effective and essential measures include heightened surveillance, early detection and treatment of cases, and infection control in all health facilities.

Valley Baptist Systems' spokeswomen Teri Retana said that the toddler was transferred this past weekend from Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen to a hospital in San Antonio. Dr. Brian Smith, regional director of the Texas Department of State Health Services, said the toddler is at Methodist Children's Hospital in San Antonio.

Retana would not provide further information, pointing to privacy concerns. However, The Brownsville Herald learned that the toddler and his family do not live in Brownsville.

This case is one of 91 confirmed in the U.S. as of press time.

CDC noted that in the past it received reports of approximately one human swine influenza virus infection every one to two years in the U.S., but from December 2005 through February 2009, 12 cases were reported.

"The more recent illnesses and the reported death suggest that a pattern of more severe illness associated with this virus may be emerging in the U.S.," CDC noted in its most recent update.

"Most people will not have immunity to this new virus and, as it continues to spread, more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths are expected in the coming days and weeks," CDC added.

Mayor Pat M. Ahumada Jr., at a press conference Wednesday, said that a second child, also from Cameron County, is suspected of contracting the virus. Ahumada said that the school-age child, a boy, is not enrolled in the Brownsville Independent School District, but he would not name the school district where the child attends school. "I hear that the child is doing well and is under care and the family is under voluntary quarantine," the mayor said.

Ahumada and city Health Director Arturo Rodriguez awaited a determination as to whether the boy contracted the virus.

The developments also come in the heels of the death of a 23-month-old toddler from Mexico City who died from the swine flu Monday at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston.

Developments also unfold as Texas Gov. Rick Perry issued Wednesday a disaster declaration to address the swine flu's threat, his office announced.

"My office, along with the Department of State Health Services and other state, local and federal partners, have a plan in place to protect Texans should there be a pandemic flu outbreak or other health emergency," Perry said in a prepared statement.

At press time, the number of confirmed cases in Texas had climbed to 16, which includes the Mexico City toddler's death.

Besides the case confirmed in Cameron County, two cases were confirmed in Starr County, three in Dallas County, one in Fort Bend and eight cases in Guadalupe County.

For his part, Ahumada attempted to appease a concerned community. "I know how stressful it is for everybody and how concerned they are," the mayor said.

"Some people are rightfully scared," he said.

"Living on the border doesn't make it any easier," he said of the close interaction between both countries.

Ahumada said that there is no need to panic or to declare a state of emergency, "but we need to be very observant and vigilant and monitor this very closely."

He noted that the Texas governor could be dispatching nurses to the ports of entry.

He said that the city is working closely with the Brownsville Independent School District, which has more than 48,000 students. "That is a very vulnerable population," the mayor said. At press time, there were no plans to close BISD schools.

The mayor did request that students who live in Mexico and attend public and private schools in Brownsville to stay home until officials can get a better handle on the evolution of the virus. "I think that would be a good precaution," the mayor said.

Rodriguez urged parents to "watch your children closely because they are the most susceptible." Rodriguez also alerted residents that they should not self-medicate and should obtain medical care if they have flu-like symptoms.

At press time, Rodriguez had not yet learned how the toddler from Cameron County contracted the virus or how the school-age child might have. "The issue is that you have to track the individuals down, you have to confirm it," Rodriguez said, adding that families and relatives also have to be notified. "It's not an unwillingness on (the part of) public health officials. It's that it is so important for us to get it right the first time," Rodriguez said.