By Billy Davis

An adult from Panola County contracted the Swine Flu and has since fully recovered, marking the first case of the virus in the county.

A spokesman for the Miss. Department of Health described the patient as a female adult.

Mississippi has reported 158 cases of Swine Flu so far, with the majority coming from Gulf Coast counties Harrison (25) and Jackson (21).  

Fewer cases have been confirmed in North Mississippi, where only Panola, Lafayette (2) and DeSoto (1) counties have reported the virus in the northwest corner of the state.  

No deaths have been reported in Mississippi from the virus, also known as H1N1 Swine Flu.

The virus is considered to be a mild strain of the flu.

The Swine Flu originated in Mexico and has since spread worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic on June 11 because of its spread to other countries.

The latest worldwide statistics show the WHO has confirmed 77,201 cases, and 332 deaths, as of July 1 in more than 70 countries.  

In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control has reported 27,717 cases, with 127 deaths attributed to the virus.

Various media reports suggest that Swine Flu has the potential to worsen in the fall, when cold and flu season traditionally kicks off.

There are also fears that the virus could mutate into a more potent strain. In Brazil, scientists there have identified a new strain of the virus, but it’s not known if the new strain will prove more aggressive.

Miss. Department of Health statistics show the Swine Flu is outpacing the seasonal flu in the state: 73 seasonal cases have been reported since April.