Romania Suspects First Swine Flu Case

The man went to his family physician Thursday morning with symptoms of the common cold. Because the patient had just returned from a trip to Portugal and Spain, where cases of swine flu have been reported, the doctor alerted the county public health department.

Blood samples from the patient will be analyzed in Bucharest.

"The patient refused to be committed to hospital, but is under strict surveillance at home until test results are available,” Tarcus said.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday said it raised its level of swine flu pandemic alert from phase 4 to 5, one step short of a full-scale pandemic.

The WHO said nine countries have officially reported cases of swine influenza A/H1N1 infection.