Image by Flickr user paulcastoral Image by 20090506-swine.jpg Fresh air: It's filled with fear.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control has confirmed a long-suspected case of swine flu (N1H1) in Charleston County.

Read more stories on this subject in our swine flu topic page.The case brings the total number of infections to 17 in South Carolina. The Charleston incident came from a person's trip to Mexico, separate from the Newberry cases.

Meanwhile the total number of cases confirmed by the CDC over the last dozen days has climbed to 642 cases.

The virus remains to be relatively slow moving for the time being, but still has the risk to pose significant threat to the public's general health.

Be sure to follow the CDC's tips and wash your hands regularly with soap.