JEFFERSON CITY— Missouri health officials reported Tuesday that they have confirmed four new cases of swine flu in the state.
The Department of Health and Senior Services said the new cases were found during testing at the state's Public Health Laboratory of specimens sent to the lab by doctors whose patients showed symptoms of the illness. With the new cases, Missouri now has six confirmed to be swine flu and six that are probable.
Two of the new cases were found in Platte County residents, one in a Jackson County patient and one in a St. Charles County patient. Health officials released no further information about the patients Tuesday evening.
The Missouri State Public Health Lab confirmed the presence of swine flu in the four newest cases after receiving the chemical test for the virus developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The two previously confirmed cases are a 19-year-old Kansas City man who received medical care in Nebraska and a 30-year-old Platte County woman.
The six probable cases, specimens of which have been sent to the CDC for confirmation, involve three children in Platte County, a child in eastern Jackson County and a father and son in Howard County.
Health department officials said Monday that two of the Platte County children are related to the previously confirmed Platte County case and that the third Platte County child was in the same day care center. That center has been temporarily closed.
Kansas officials have reported two swine flu cases confirmed by federal officials, two cases confirmed by state tests but awaiting CDC confirmation and two probable cases.