ATLANTA —The Georgia Department of Public Health confirmed Thursday Georgia’s first human case of swine influenza virus Type A (H1N1) disease.

A 30-year-old is hospitalized in LaGrange. The patient is not a Georgia resident but traveled from out-of-the-state and became ill while visiting in Georgia. The patient’s family has requested privacy and the GDPH not give additional personal information. The patient recently traveled to Cancun, Mexico, said, GDPH acting director Sandra Elizabeth Ford, MD.

“We are investigating if others who have been in close contact with this individual have also been affected,” Dr. Ford said.

GDPH strongly recommends Georgia residents to:
1) Contact a health care provider if you are not feeling well and have recently traveled to one of the states or countries that have confirmed cases of human swine influenza virus Type A (H1N1).

2) Wash your hands, cough or sneeze in a tissue or crook of elbow, stay at home when you are feeling sick, follow your health care providers recommendations.

3) Develop or update your emergency preparedness plan and emergency preparedness kit. Visit www.ready.ga.gov/ and register to access online tools that will provide step-by-step guidance on how to create a plan and an emergency kit.