Spokesperson for the Mielec Hospital, Aneta Dyka-Urbanska, released information that the hospital just received test results Friday morning confirming that the patient’s two sons and husband do not carry the virus.
The husband and sons, however, will likely be discharged from the hospital today. The 58-year-old woman, who woke Friday morning without a fever, is expected to be released Sunday or Monday.
“We will observe her over the next few days. Evidently, [this strain] is not viral and thanks to swift admittance to the hospital, where she was immediately treated, the patient is returning to full health,” stated Dyka-Urbanska.
The hospitalized woman is a resident of Tarnobrzeg, southeast Poland. She returned from New York City on 2 May on LOT flight LO 016. The patient reported no symptoms of the flu during the flight, thus doctors conclude that there is little chance of her having infected other passengers.
Nonetheless, all passengers on the flight have been informed. Dyka-Urbanska announced that a 61-year-old woman came to the hospital Thursday reporting symptoms of swine flu. The woman, from Kolbuszowa, southeastern Poland, recently returned from Chicago. Medical tests report no signs of the A/H1N1 virus.
A/H1N1 is a new strain of virus – a mix of swine, human and bird flu. The Main Sanitary Inspectorate maintains that symptoms are similar to regular seasonal influenza, yet the average flu shot will not protect against this particular strain of swine flu. (mmj)
Related story: Poland confirms first case of swine flu, thenews.pl, 7 May 2009