Testing technology coming to states
The CDC is making the definitive swine flu test available to individual states.
In the coming days, Pennsylvania will have the technology to test for the swine flu — without sending flu samples to federal health officials for analysis. The tests available at Pennsylvania’s state laboratory only provide preliminary screening.
Ostroff: They can’t distinguish whether or not that influenza virus is due to one of the seasonal strains or whether it represents one of these swine flu cases. Currently the only laboratory that can absolutely make that determination is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dr. Stephen Ostroff is the acting Physician General for Pennsylvania. He says the swine flu is spreading fast, so the CDC is making the definitive test available to individual states.
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