Confirmed H1N1 flu patient fully recovered

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) reported today that a previously reported MIT Medical patient with probable H1N1 influenza (swine flu) did have this type of flu. Based on a rapid flu test, the patient, who does not live or attend school at MIT, was diagnosed on April 29 at MIT Medical with a strain of influenza A that was not the typical strain circulating during the recent flu season. Consequently, the DPH classified the case as probable H1N1 pending further testing. The patient has been treated with an antiviral medication and is now fully recovered. An earlier possible case of H1N1, an MIT student, came to MIT Medical with a flu-like illness on April 23 after returning from a trip to Mexico with a companion. This patient has also recovered fully. Because this visit to MIT Medical occurred prior to the CDC alert regarding H1N1, the patient was not tested for influenza A with the rapid flu test. No suspected cases of H1N1 flu have been diagnosed by MIT Medical since April 29. As of Monday night, the DPH confirmed 28 additional cases in Massachusetts, bringing the total to 34. Each of the newly confirmed cases is expected to fully recover and none are hospitalized. The DPH website has details of symptom onset and date of confirmed diagnosis in each case. None of the 28 recent diagnosed patients are new cases. The increase in the number of confirmed cases is the result of confirmatory testing now being done at the state laboratory in Jamaica Plain. Previously, testing of all suspect and probable cases was performed only at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, which resulted in a backlog of samples for testing due to the recent increase in volume. MIT Medical and the Massachusetts DPH continue to monitor the situation closely. The most up-to-date national and local information is available from the CDC and the states public health blog.