Texas Teen Recovering From Swine Flu

CIBOLO, Texas (AP) – High school senior Hayden Henshaw went to his doctor late last week suffering the classic achy, sniffly feverishness of a flu bug — unpleasant but not terribly worrisome until lab tests came back.

The 18-year-old was among the first confirmed cases of a new flu that combines bird, swine and human viruses. He and two other classmates at Steele High School were the earliest confirmed cases In Texas, which now has six confirmed statewide, and among the first reported cases in the United States.

The teen’s father, Patrick Henshaw says — quote — “At first, we were scared to death because of what you were hearing.”

But a week after the first symptoms, with the fever gone and just an occasional sniffle, “now, it’s just nothing,” says Hayden. By today, he was mostly suffering from boredom with the family’s self-imposed quarantine.

No one else in the family has gotten sick.

The Henshaws, including mom, Robin, and 11-year-old Hannah, have been holed up in their two-story home in Cibolo, a San Antonio suburb, since Friday, just as a precaution and as a courtesy to others in their community.

They are awaiting guidance from the state health department before calling off the quarantine.

Guadalupe County, where Cibolo sits, has asked residents to avoid public gatherings for the time being. The local high school and others in the district were closed this week to disinfect and to try to eliminate any further transmission of the virus that has been relatively mild in the U.S. but has killed at least 150 people in Mexico.

Three other Texas school districts, in suburban Dallas, New Braunfels and Rio Grande City, have also closed because of confirmed or probable cases. In all, 17 campuses have closed.