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President Barack Obama has said that Americans should be concerned but not alarmed about the swine flu.
However, The Hartford Courant reported that U.S. health officials have urged Americans not to travel to Mexico, where there had been 148 confirmed deaths from the swine flu by early this week.
As of Wednesday, there were 91 reported cases in the United States, with New York City being the closest to Connecticut, and one fatality in Texas, a Mexican child brought to this country for treatment.
"This is a developing story that will probably be with us for several weeks," Mr. Crespan said. "I would not be surprised if we have cases in Connecticut," he added.
"You should do what you mother told, which is wash your hands when they're dirty and make sure you cover your nose when you sneeze," New Milford Mayor Patricia Murphy said when asked about how to remain healthy if the virus reaches Connecticut.
The mayor said that the town's health officials are in contact with their counterparts in the 10-municipality Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials, the regional planning agency for the western part of the state, and with neighboring Washington.
"It's a new strain, so there is no vaccine available," Newtown Health District Director Donna Culbert said.
The Newtown Health District has overseen public health issues in Brookfield since early last year.
The Hartford Courant reported that Protein Sciences Corp. in Meriden has indicated that is awaiting federal approval for its first seasonal flu vaccine and could have doses for the swine flu available in six weeks.
"If you have chills, fatigue or a temperature of 100 degrees or more, you should see your physician," Mr. Crespan said.
Ms. Culbert and Mr. Crespan both said they are providing information to schools in the area.
Mr. Crespan said that additional information is available at the state Department of Public Health's Web Site at www.ct.gov/dph.
New Milford Hospital is "certainly ready to deal with anything we would have to," Dr. Frederick Browne, its medical affairs director and an infectious diseases physician, said earlier this week.
He said that although there is no vaccine for the current strain, H1N1, treatment would be available locally.
"It is known to be susceptible to the antiviral drugs, and we do have a stock," he said."
He emphasized that the general public should exercise "common sense and good hygiene"-and, in fact, good manners-as a precaution.
"Washing hands regularly and covering the mouth when coughing are important," the epidemiologist said, pointing out that "the virus can stay alive for two hours."
It is also important to note that an individual may be infectious "a day before any symptoms are manifest and seven days afterward-it could be longer with children," Dr. Browne said.
If an individual is experiencing flu-like symptoms-a fever over 100.4 F, body aches and chills, dry cough or a sore throat-"stay home, but let your doctor know," he said.
"The only reason to come to ER [hospital emergency room] is if you're experiencing shortness of breath as well or pain in the chest or sudden dizziness, confusion, nausea or severe or persistent vomiting," Dr. Browne said, referring to seeking medical treatment.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell announced Wednesday that the state Department of Public Health would be distributing "nearly 10,000 treatment courses of antiviral medication" to the state's acute-care hospitals, as a precautionary measure.
"There are no confirmed cases of swine flu in the state, but samples from two probably cases have been sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for testing. Several other cases are undergoing preliminary testing at the state DPI laboratory," she stated in a news release.
"While there is no vaccine against swine flu, these medications can reduce the severity and duration of various strains of influenza, including swine flu," Mrs. Rell stated.
"The drugs interfere with the ability of the virus to make copies of itself, which in turn helps the body fight the infection," she continued. "The sooner anyone who gets sick starts taking the antiviral medication the sooner they will start to feel better, so it makes sense to get the medicine out to the hospitals now."
