Some of the rumors that continue to spread throughout the public is specimens for testing are being thrown away and that truly sick individuals can't get their specimens tested due to an overwhelmed laboratory staff. Neither of these scenarios is correct, said state lab microbiologist Mike Trythall.
"We've requested that clinics not send more than three specimens a day as a general screen," Trythall said. "But again, that is each clinic each day."
This is basically an arbitrary number that was selected as clinics wanted some guidance as to how many specimens the state lab wanted to be submitted, he said.
"We have a very good relationship with the hospitals and clinics in general," Trythall said. "So if there are any exceptional cases that physicians need to get done, or if it is out of the ordinary, they don't hesitate to call." He said if a patient honestly meets the clinical criteria for submission of the specimen, those specimens are tested daily.
Williston's Trinity Community Clinic-Western Dakota laboratory supervisor Emily Schroeder hears all kinds of misinformation when it comes to testing for the H1N1 virus, she said. Since the state lab's official surveillance site in Williston is the Mercy Medical Center, Schroeder said her lab follows what the clinic's doctors seek.
"We test for Influenza A and B. Every influenza we have positive we have to report to the state," Schroeder said "But we don't distinguish between the H1N1 on a rapid basis."
The clinic's doctors aren't asking the lab to send specimens to the state lab if a specimen shows positive for Influenza A or B, she said.
"We go on what they want to do. It is not a requirement," she said of forwarding positive influenza specimens to the state lab.
Tryhall said the state lab has never been at a point where staff was overwhelmed by the number of specimens coming through its doors.
"I will never say never, but at this point in time, samples are not at that number where we are completely overwhelmed at all," he said.
Tryhall said samples that are received in the morning are processed and tested the same day.
"If they come in later in the day, they have to be held over to the next testing day," he said.
He said testing is complete if a specimen they review screens negative.
"We screen for Universal Influenza A, which includes all of the markers, and Influenza B is included as well," Tryhall said. "If we see a positive screening, more testing is done the next day."
The state lab runs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's basic Food and Drug Administration regiment of testing, he said.
"Our positive is a positive for all concerns as far as the CDC is concerned," Tryhall said.
On average, the number of specimens received by the state lab in the past couple of weeks are declining, he said.
"We were looking at between 35-60 specimens on a daily basis," Tryhall said. "That is a quite manageable number for us."
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