WHO announces swine flu pandemic, but there are no cases in Boone County

COLUMBIA — Although the World Health Organization declared an H1N1 pandemic Thursday, there are no confirmed cases in Boone County, health officials said Monday.

The Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services has not changed its testing procedures in response to WHO's announcement.

“The World Health Organization is calling it a public pandemic has everything to do with where we are seeing it and the spread of the flu, not the severity of it,” said Genalee Alexander, a spokeswoman for the Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services. "We’re taking the time this summer to stay up to date with vaccines available this fall and doing our part to prepare for the fall flu season.”

 WHO's declaration also has not changed procedures at Boone Hospital Center in response to the flu, said Kyle Sheafer, its director of marketing and public relations.

MU Health Care officials also said procedures remain the same.

“If we had a health care worker who believed they had contracted swine flu through a work situation, through a patient, we would test them” spokeswoman Mary Jenkins said. “If we had a worker that had symptoms that were not work related, we would refer them to their primary physician.”

Callaway County health officials have confirmed one case of swine flu and suspect another member of the same family may also have the virus.

The MU student who flew to China in May is not a confirmed case according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Alexander said.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.