Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

Tests have confirmed five additional cases of swine flu in Rhode Island, bringing the total to seven cases. Those found to have the caught the illness include two more Johnson & Wales students, adults in Cumberland and Coventry, and a Narragansett middle schooler.

But the Smithfield home day-care operator, who was thought to have come down with swine flu, actually had something else. One case, that of a young Coventry child, is still pending.

A man in Westerly and a Johnson & Wales student in Providence had previously tested positive.

These five latest tests were conducted Thursday morning in the Health Department laboratory, which was certified late Wednesday as being qualified to test for swine flu. Previously, tests had to be sent to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after the local lab determined the virus was influenza but couldn't identify the strain.

In the future, the lab will test for swine flu only if someone with flu-like illness needs to be hospitalized.

Meanwhile, the Health Deaprtment's monitoring of emergency rooms, universities, schools and physicians' office has not found any increase in influenza-like illnesses.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story gave incorrect information on where the tests were conducted.

 Tags  pandemic RI swine flu

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