Alabama Swine Flu Symptoms On The Rise

Alabama health officials are staying busy testing samples taken from patients with swine flu symptoms.

Eight samples received earlier this week, including at least one from Baldwin County, tested negative for the disease, but Dr. Donald Williamson of the Alabama Department of Public Health says 29 more samples were received late yesterday afternoon and early this morning.

Health officials tell News Five the 29 new samples include patients from South Alabama, but they would not specify which counties.

During a news conference Wednesday morning, Williamson encouraged doctors and patients to be vigilant and use "common sense" when dealing with influenza-like illnesses.

The Alabama Department of Public Health has one million masks ready to be distributed if needed, as well as 700,000 courses of antivirals.

According to health officials, the incubation period from the moment of exposure until an individual starts noticing symptoms is two to seven days, and individuals with the illness are infectious to others for up to seven days after symptoms develop.

"A person who traveled to Mexico three weeks ago and who has not been ill should not be concerned," says Williamson, though he also says more than half of confirmed U.S. cases have no exposure from travel to Mexico.

The Alabama Department of Public Health is holding another news conference at 6:30 this evening.