The growth of confirmed swine flu cases in Columbia County has slowed to almost a halt.

However, that doesn't mean there aren't more cases out there, said Columbia County Health Department health officer Susan Lorenz.

Rather, the state simply isn't testing as many possible cases. Cost is a contributing factor.

As of July 1, the last day the state updated its pandemic.wisconsin.gov Web site, Columbia County had 71 confirmed cases. As of June 5, the county had 68 confirmed cases. The state has 4,153 confirmed cases, including about 2,500 in Milwaukee County and 500 in Dane County.

Lorenz pointed to new state guidelines for testing as a major factor in slowing down confirmed cases.

"They aren't testing as many," she said. "That doesn't mean it isn't in the community. It just means it's not being identified through testing."

As of June 15, the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene started transporting and testing potential swine flu cases for free only for specimens from people within certain guidelines.

Testing is recommended for:

• People with severe febrile illness (a sudden illness with high fever).

• People with sepsis syndrome.

• Patients who are hospitalized with severe respiratory illness.

• Health-care workers with symptoms of influenza-like illness (fever of more than 100 degrees and cough or sore throat).

• Residents of residential facilities (long-term care, prisons) who have symptoms.

Testing may be considered for:

• Moderately ill persons (fever of more than 101.5 degrees and a cough or sore throat and a headache or body aches.

Testing is not recommended for:

• People with mild illness.

• Family members of a person with known H1N1 influenza.

"They're looking specifically for higher-risk cases," Lorenz said.

The Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene will test other cases for $225, according to a letter it released June 8. Lorenz said the county often would have to pay that cost.

Of the 71 confirmed cases, none of the residents with the swine flu suffered long-term ill-effects, Lorenz said.

Wisconsin's number of confirmed swine flu cases, also known as H1N1, has always been among the highest of any state in the country because of aggressive testing procedures, Lorenz said.

"We know it's in the community; we know it's in the state; we know it's in nation," she said, adding that the flu season is not over.

An example: a camper at Easter Seals Camp Wawbeek fell ill to the swine flu, or H1N1 virus, over the weekend, prompting the camp to close voluntarily. The camp will reopen Sunday, according to a news release.

Ken Saville, vice president of Easter Seals Wisconsin and overseer of the Easter Seals camps situated outside of Wisconsin Dells, said about 120 campers were on the sites at Camp Wawbeek and Respite Camp when staff realized a camper was ill with the virus. Both camps are for children with cognitive or physical disabilities. A day camp for nondisabled children, Camp Kee-B-Waw, was also closed and will reopen Monday.

Camp organizers decided to continue running Respite Camp because the one camper with symptoms was isolated, Saville said.

Saville said flu-like symptoms of fever, cough and sore throat have surfaced in about half a dozen campers and staff at Camp Wawbeek.

The camps are three weeks into the summer season. Camps run until the third week of August, Saville said.

The current Camp Wawbeek session started June 28, and Saville said he hoped it was less disappointing for campers that have to return home several days early since they had most of their nearly two-week camping experience.

He said he feels bad the campers have a shorter stay, but he also said the campers at Camp Wawbeek are at greater risk of complications from the virus than others.

Lorenz said the Easter Seals decision to close two of its camps was voluntary. When swine flu was first spreading in May, health departments in the state were warning about the need to possibly close schools. Since then, health officials have advocated that public places like schools only close when large numbers of students were absent due to the virus. Otherwise, isolating a child with the virus for seven days or 24 hours after symptoms disappeared was deemed sufficient.

Lorenz said it was a good idea to close the camp, especially given the fact that some of the campers fit into the category of individuals who face a higher risk of complications from the H1N1 virus.

She said those with a higher risk of complications are children younger than 5 years old, seniors ages 65 and older, children younger than 18 on long-term aspirin therapy, adults and children with chronic pulmonary, heart and liver diseases, neurologic disease, sickle cell disease, diabetes, neuromuscular disorders, pregnant women and nursing home residents. Those patients may require antiviral pills, Lorenz said.

She said the campers at Camp Wawbeek have physical disabilities and are ages 6 to 21 would be at greater risk of developing additional problems because of the virus.

Last month, a Catholic summer camp, Camp Gray, in Delton also closed due to the swine flu. A counselor and three campers there became sick and 140 campers were sent home. Rebecca Hoeben, the camp director, said the camp reopened Sunday and is "up in full swing."

jmaddux@capitalnewspapers.com

745-3517