Buncombe County Investigates Suspected Swine Flu Cases

Buncombe County Health Director Gibbie Harris tells News Channel 7 that two County residents who traveled to Mexico have developed flu like symptoms.  Harris says samples from the two have been sent to the state lab in Raleigh to be tested for the seasonal strains of the flu. Results should be known by Wednesday. If the results are negative those samples will be sent to Atlanta to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to be tested for the swine flu. Results from the CDC tests should be known by Friday.  The two patients have been asked to stay at home.

Gibbie Harris says the best advice for people with flu like symptoms is to stay and home and get well. 

Buncombe County has set up a swine flu hotline to answer questions.  The telephone number is 828-250-6400.  There is a recorded message with basic swine flu information and you are able to leave a message with questions that are not answered on the recording.