By Zack Stovall
Arkansas News Bureau

LITTLE ROCK — State health officials Friday confirmed a new case of swine flu in Arkansas.

Samples taken from a patient in Saline County tested positive for the H1N1 virus, state Health Department spokeswoman Anne Wright said.

Dr. Jim Phillips, state epidemiologist and interim branch chief of infectious diseases for the department, said the patient has fully recovered, is back to regular activities and is no longer contagious.

“I fully expect there to be more cases in Arkansas, although they will be less documented, as we now have sufficient data on the flu,” Phillips said. “We are now only taking samples from physicians whose patients have enough flu-like symptoms to be hospitalized, for pregnant women and for other health care workers.”

Phillips said cases confirmed in Arkansas have been revealed as almost identical to regular seasonal influenza, except for a prolonged incubation period, increased gastrointestinal symptoms and a more speedy recovery in its younger victims.

Health officials previously confirmed five cases of swine flu in Arkansas — four National Guard airmen from outside Arkansas who were training at Camp Robinson in North Little Rock and one school-age child in Lawrence county.