Montgomery, AL – The Alabama Department of Public Health has started receiving samples of what might be swine flu from doctors around the state who suspect their patients could have the virus.
Assistant State Health Officer Dr. Charles Woernle says the department's lab began stocking up on extra supplies Monday in preparation for an onslaught of specimens.
He said the labs have received several samples from Baldwin and Pike counties so far.
Woernle said any confirmation will take a while because samples that are validated at the state level must then be sent to the Centers for Disease Control for final confirmation.
The receipt of specimens comes just a day after State Health Officer Don Williamson said Alabama had no swine flu cases but it would only be a matter of time.
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