Lancaster County might have its first case of swine flu.

The state Department of Health reported Friday that there is one "probable case" of swine flu in the county.

"We treat a probable case as if it's a confirmed case," Holli Senior, deputy press secretary for the department, said.

The department would not provide any information about the person with the suspected infection.

Specimens collected from the person were sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for laboratory testing to determine if the person has indeed contracted swine flu.

"The only way we confirm a case of swine flu is if the Centers for Disease Control makes that confirmation for us," Senior said.

Senior said that the state tested lab specimens collected from the sick person to rule out seasonal flu. Once that was done, the case was declared probable swine flu.

Senior would not say what treatment the individual is undergoing. She said that, in general, such people are told to sequester themselves at home for at least seven days to keep from spreading the virus.

During that time, they are treated with the same antiviral drugs given to people with seasonal flu.

In extreme cases, people can be quarantined in hospitals or nursing homes.

"But I can tell you none of the Pennsylvania cases has involved hospitalization," Senior said.

As of Friday there were 10 confirmed cases and 18 probable cases of swine flu found in the state since the world outbreak began in late April.

Just east of Lancaster County, Chester County has reported one confirmed case, and Montgomery, Bucks and Philadelphia counties have reported two confirmed cases each.

The CDC is likely to make its determination on the Lancaster County case next week.

State officials have said the strain of swine flu in Pennsylvania appears to be mild, and some of the people who became ill early on in the outbreak already have recovered.

E-mail: preilly@lnpnews.com