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AZ lab limits flu tests because it's overwhelmed

Posted on October 15, 2009 at 8:50 AM

Updated Thursday, Oct 15 at 9:31 AM

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Department of Health Services officials are testing for swine flu only if patients have been hospitalized or have died.

Health Services epidemiologist Dr. Rebecca Sunenshine says that even with doubling the lab's capacity, it was overflowing with samples.

She says the state needs to focus on severe cases.

State officials sent doctors' offices and hospitals a letter last week asking them to stop sending samples from mildly ill patients.

Right now, swine flu cases are the only type of flu cases being reported in Arizona.

John C. Lincoln Deer Valley Hospital emergency room physician Dr. Clark York says if someone's sick, it's probably flu, and it's probably swine flu because that's the largest strain going around.

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Information from: KPHO-TV, http://www.kpho.com/

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