Second probable swine flu case found in Onslow County

There are now four probable cases of H1N1, also known as swine flu, in North Carolina - two of which are in Onslow County, state health officials say.

The other two probable cases are in Craven and Wake counties.

The second probable case is a member of the household of the patient involved in the case reported Thursday, Dr. Zack Moore of the North Carolina Office of Public Health said Saturday afternoon.

"The Onslow County case had traveled to Texas and, also, the second Onslow County case ... had the same travel history," Moore said.

The first patient called a physician immediately when symptoms appeared, Onslow County Health Director George O'Daniel said Friday. The physician treated the individual in the parking lot of the office by going to the individual's car upon arrival to avoid exposing others inside.

O'Daniel said at the time that the individual had very limited contact with other people once back from Texas, and the family was under voluntary isolation.

The second case was not "unexpected," Moore said.

As of 11 a.m. Saturday, the Centers for Disease Control reported 160 human cases of H1N1 in 21 states, Moore said. There has only been one death - a 23-month-old child in Texas - and 13 hospitalizations among the confirmed cases.

"The number of confirmed cases is likely to continue to increase," Moore said, explaining that there was a large number of specimens waiting to be tested.

Moore expects to have the results of the tests for two of the probable cases from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention "immeniently," he said.

"We do not have any confirmed cases in North Carolina at this time. The state laboratory of public health has received a total of 334 total specimens for testing since Sunday. That does not include specimens sent overnight last night and this morning," Moore said.

Of those specimens, 258 have tested negative and 76 are pending, including "the more probable cases," he said.

Amanda Hickey can be reached at 910-219-8461 or ahickey@freedomenc.com.