No new swine flu cases here

The Daily Inter Lake

The 6-year-old child confirmed as the first case of swine flu in Flathead County has recovered and no new cases have been reported.

Jody White, director of community health, said one other person linked to the 6-year-old also became ill but was not tested. It was listed as an "epi-linked" case.

She said Montana has 80 cases of swine flu in 118 counties as of July 3. Five cases resulted in hospitalizations but no one has died.

White said the department hopes to have information about an H1N1 vaccine in about a month.

She said the speculation is that it may be a two-dose series but she has no information about which populations' children or pregnant women, for example - may be targeted to receive it.

"We're waiting for guidance from the CDC," she said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control Web site, the agency is working with manufacturers on producing a vaccine. Producing enough for the entire United States population is described as a gargantuan task.

White said Flathead City-County Health Department plans to hold seasonal flu vaccine clinics sometime in October.