MSNBC is reporting that the swine flu has claimed the life of the first American—and the second person on U.S. soil. Few details are known, but MSNBC says the woman who died had underlying chronic health conditions, and lived in Texas in Cameron County, near the U.S.-Mexico border.

Also today, Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, and Richard Besser, M.D., Acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, answered questions from the press at 1:30 p.m. today. We participated in the call, and here are the latest updates.

• The big news from today’s session is a change in CDC guidance on school closures. Schools are now being advised not to shut down due to swine flu cases unless the number of people affected hampers the ability of the school to function. Schools that have previously been closed are now being advised to reopen. The CDC urges parents and faculty to be vigilant about keeping those who do become ill home at least seven days to keep from spreading the disease. If the illness lasts longer than seven days, the guidance recommends staying home until the symptoms have ceased for 24 hours. Parents and staff are encouraged to monitor students for symptoms daily, and promote preventative hygiene.