Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Washington State Health Department reports 10 new “probable” cases of swine flu statewide Monday.

The new cases coming to light in Washington State are all “mild to moderate,” as with the prior cases.  

In Oregon, we’ve learned that swine flu sent one teenage girl to the intensive care unit, but she’s getting better.

 Oregon’s public health director announced the state will only report confirmed cases from now on.  That’s because the state health lab now has the capability to make positive identifications of H1N1.  There was no big increase in cases Monday in Oregon.

Dr. Jeff Duchin is the chief of communicable disease in Washington State’s biggest county, King County.  Monday, he urged schools that closed because of the flu outbreak to re-open.

Jeff Duchin: “We feel it’s fine if they open at their earliest convenience.  We’re not recommending that those that closed, remain closed, but if they need to remain closed for a day or two in order to get the information out to the parents and get the school up and running again, that’s fine.”

Duchin says the flu virus seems to be fairly widespread in the community.  So closing one school at a time “is not a practical way to respond” and no longer advisable.

The Washington State Department of Health backs him up on that.  The advice to parents still stands -- to keep sick children at home.

In Oregon, state health officials say they may take the same tack on schools if the H1N1 strain remains no worse than the common flu.

Washington State Dept. of Health: County-by-county map of swine flu cases