Wake County Health Director Elizabeth Tilson reported two new confirmed cases of H1N1 (swine flu) virus today, bringing the county's total to four in as many days.

The new cases are a 39-year-old adult and an 11-year-old child. Tilson said the cases are not connected to each other or to either of the other Wake County cases. Two are adults and two are school-age children.

Wake County School officials confirmed that the child attends Laurel Park Elementary School in Apex. The 11-year-old went home from school sick on Monday and is now tracked out. Letters went home to parents today with information about the case and precautions they should be taking. Custodians have been advised to conduct additional cleaning of the school as necessary.

At a news conference this afternoon, Dr. Tilson reiterated that schools would not be closed because of the virus, saying that this flu is more mild than seasonal influenza.

"We do not shut schools for regular influenza," she said. "What we are asking, instead of shutting a whole school down, is that if your child is sick, please don't send your child to school."  Click on the video link above to hear more from Dr. Tilson on keeping schools open.

About 80 percent of Reedy Creek Middle School's 831 students reported to school today.

Tilson said the news of four cases this week have prompted a spike in visits to private physicians in Wake County.  She said local doctors don't have a rapid test for the H1N1 virus and that state lab testing is recommended only for patients who are hospitalized because of their illness.

The latest cases in Wake County, plus three others announced today across the state, bring North Carolina's total to 35 cases of H1N1 virus.