US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Saturday confirmed the first case of A/H1N1 flu in the State of Alabama.

The patient is a kindergartener at Heritage Elementary School in the city of Madison, local public health officials said late in the evening.

Meanwhile, six new probable cases of A/H1N1 flu are identified on Saturday in the state, including five students. That brings to 10 the number of confirmed and probable cases so far in the state -- one in Jefferson County, one in Montgomery and eight in the city of Madison.

Local public health officials were notified late Saturday afternoon that the Jefferson County, the largest in Alabama, has detected its first probable case of A/H1N1 flu. The patient is an adult man with a type of virus that is 95 percent likely to be A/H1N1 flu.

Other five probable cases identified on Saturday in Madison were all from students, but increased from one to four the number of schools affected. Officials said all the elementary schools in the city of Madison remain closed until May 14.

Alabama has been identifying probable cases that it then sent to CDC for confirmation. Officials say starting next week the state will be able to confirm its own cases.

(Xinhua News Agency May 3, 2009)