Texas health officials have issued new guidelines for treating flu patients as the state deals with an increase in the illness in multiple areas.
The new guidelines come as officials in Houston say swine flu has been confirmed as the cause of death for three men.
In nearby Conroe, officials have reported two cases of swine flu in patients and they are still waiting on test results to determine if four recent deaths can be attributed to the flu strain, also known as the H1N1 virus.
The Texas Department of State Health Services on Friday asked doctors to prescribe antiviral treatments for patients with flu-like symptoms, even if initial tests come back negative.
State health officials say that the level of flu-like illness is currently classified as "high" in Texas.
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Online:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/
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