A confirmed case of swine flu, or H1N1 flu, in a Middlefield child is big news for a small town. Big enough for major news networks and print media to attend a community-wide forum on the topic with representatives from the Connecticut Department of Health (DPH), Board of Education, personnel from the school district and town health officials.

On Thursday morning, April 30, District 13 Superintendent Susan Viccaro participated in a conference call with the governor, health department officials and several school superintendents to hear more about swine flu, a variety of N1H1 flu.

With information that a Middlefield child has a probable case of the swine flu, Durham First Selectman Laura Francis is meeting daily with town sanitarian Bill Milardo and emergency management director Francis Willett as well as with counterparts in Middletown and the mass dispensing catchment area (who would be the ones to dispense antiviral medications) so everybody is on the s

Dr. Matthew Huddleston, Middlefield’s health director, has confirmed that an elementary school-aged child living in town has been identified as having a probable case of swine flu. The child is taking medication and improving. Whether or not this is an actual case of swine flu is being determined by the Center for Disease Control (CDC).