Public and private health officials say Mississippi's in a position to handle the threat posed by the swine flu spreading across schools, colleges, daycares and workplaces.

But the state could find itself at a disadvantage in at least one area: school nurses.

Mississippi's student-to-nurse ratio is below national recommendations, and it remains to be seen how Gov. Haley Barbour's latest budget cuts could affect funding for the nurses.

To date, the Mississippi Department of Health has confirmed 622 cases and two deaths.