JOHN BURNETT: I'm John Burnett from Austin, Texas.
State health authorities have confirmed a third case of swine flu at a high school in the suburban city of Cibolo, northeast of San Antonio. The state health department ordered the school district to close its 14 schools this week. Moreover, the Cibolo mayor ordered city parks out of service, and asked residents to avoid public gatherings.
The Dallas County Health Department confirmed an additional case of swine flu in an elementary school student in the Dallas suburb of Richardson. Two other students at the school are also suspected of having the flu. As a precaution, Canyon Creek Elementary School is closing this week. So far, all the confirmed cases in Texas have been mild, and have not required hospitalization.
Meanwhile, along the Texas-Mexico border, local and state authorities are closely monitoring clinics and hospitals for patients complaining of respiratory problems. A spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection said agents at international bridges and airports went on heightened alert over the weekend.
They're passively screening people entering the United States, keeping an eye out for those who appear sick. If they show signs of the flu, agents will remove them to an isolated area away from other travelers, and get a medical diagnosis. The spokesman said he's not aware of any reports this has happened in the nation's ports of entry.
John Burnett, NPR News, Austin. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
