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A 2-year-old girl in the Reno area fell ill with swine flu last Friday, the CDC confirmed Wednesday.

However, health authorities are not closing the preschool the girl attends, saying they can better monitor children who have been exposed to the illness if they remain at the preschool rather than have them scattered among other facilities.

Quite a few patients in Pahrump and Las Vegas have been tested for influenza in the last few weeks, but as of Thursday the Reno girl's was the first confirmed case in Nevada.

Nine are suspected in Pahrump.

Washoe County epidemiologist Randall Todd said the Reno influenza case was one of four suspicious tests submitted to the state laboratory. One case from Las Vegas and two in Carson City were not swine flu.

The girl was not hospitalized and is now home. Apparently, the youngster appeared ill and listless on Friday and was taken to a hospital Sunday with a fever of 104 degrees. The family reported the girl has fully recovered, but health officials say the girl cannot return to the preschool until Monday.

As of Thursday morning, there are nearly 100 cases in 11 states with one death -- a toddler who was brought to Texas for treatment from Mexico City.

In all likelihood, that death was "due to the drive from Mexico City to Houston and the time delay between the onset of symptoms and treatment," according to Dr. Marc Siegel, an associate professior at New York University School of Medicine and a practicing internist.

Siegel also said high fever is a symptom of swine flu, and in a toddler's case intravenous fluids would have been needed immediately.

Dr. Kevin Slaughter, director of Desert View Hospital's Emergency Room, said, "Call your doctor immediately if you're running a temperature of 100.5 degrees or higher.

"Tamiflu or Relenza should be taken within the first three days of flu symptoms."

Those medications won't cure or prevent swine flu, but they may lessen the duration and severity of the symptoms, which include profound lethargy, muscle aches, high fever, head and stomach aches, and in severe cases vomiting and diarrhea.

"If you come into the hospital with flu symptoms that include fever and body aches, we do cultures from your nose and we can rapid test for flu strains A and B," said Slaughter.

"If it comes back positive for A, then cultures are sent to the state. Those people will be sent home with a prescription for Tamiflu or Relenza.

"If you have it, you will be too miserable and sick to go to work," said Slaughter. "Stay home and avoid contact with others. If you have a high temperature, call your doctor.

"Think about common precautions," he said. "If you have to sneeze or cough and don't have a tissue use your hand. Then wash your hands. Then wash your hands again. If you sneeze and touch your nose, then touch something like a door, the virus can last as long as 24 hours on that surface.

"When you go to the grocery store, use hand wipes to clean off the cart handles. Putting your hands on a counter can deposit the virus or you can pick it up that way," Slaughter said.

"Ultimately, the majority of people who get it will be fine, but they will be miserable for seven to ten days.

"People at higher risk are those with diabetes, the very young and the elderly. Their immune systems are not as strong. If someone is taking steroids, that can also knock down the immune system," explained Slaughter.

"I have tested a lot of people, including some kids. I have yet to see anyone come back positive."