Whitman County reports first swine flu case

A Washington State University student has been diagnosed with the H1N1 influenza virus. The 19-year-old is the first to have the swine-origin flu in Whitman County. He lives off-campus and has recovered from the new flu virus that has swept across the country. Though most cases regarding this flu strain have been mild and treatable, health officials continue to urge people to practice good hygiene, including covering the nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing. With the virus now common – it has now infected 574 Washington residents, including four in Spokane County – state health officials are no longer collecting samples influenza samples and are instead focusing on serious cases and trends that show who is at highest risk of infection.