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Source: http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/education/article/COLL22_20091021-222007/300874/
Flulike illnesses at Va. colleges show no pattern
By Karin Kapsidelis
Published: October 22, 2009
SPECIAL REPORT: Swine Flu
At the Virginia Military Institute, where three to six cadets share rooms "so small they put their bunks up during the day so they can get around," officials had expected roommates also would share the swine-flu virus.
"But that's not happening," said VMI spokesman Stewart MacInnis. "We're really not sure of the pattern" of how the virus is spreading among cadets on the Lexington campus, he said.
There seems to be no clear pattern, either, for which Virginia campuses are seeing higher numbers of suspected cases of the novel H1N1 virus at the start of flu season.
VMI, with 1,500 cadets, has had 125 cases of flulike illnesses since the beginning of the fall semester. Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond has 32,350 students but has had only about 125 report symptoms.
VCU's number is rising, however. Yesterday, 25 possible cases were reported, a sharp jump from the six to eight cases per day that were being seen more recently.
Since Aug. 22, the University of Virginia in Charlottesville has had 509 flulike illnesses among its 24,640 students. Most students live on campus, which could be a factor in the higher number there, U.Va. said.
How many of these cases really are the flu is not clear because most colleges, following health department direction, are not testing all students. Instead, they're keeping tallies on the number coming to health centers with flulike illnesses.
So far, most cases have been mild with only a few hospitalizations reported. But colleges still are braced for what may be to come with the virus, which has hit young people especially hard.
The early appearance of influenza symptoms is one indicator that this flu season will be different.
The University of Richmond has had 129 cases of flulike illnesses from the start of the semester through Tuesday. For the same period last year, its health center had seen only nine flulike cases.
"We have hand sanitizer everywhere on this campus now, and people are using it," UR spokesman Brian Eckert said.
The university has special meals for students with flulike illnesses available from its dining center and even will deliver them if no friend is available to help. UR also has given out 425 flu kits that contain surgical masks and other supplies through the health center and residence halls.
Those with symptoms are being encouraged to stay in their rooms and wear the masks if anyone else is present, Eckert said.
Other universities are taking similar measures and plan to offer H1N1 vaccines when they become available.
At the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, posters of President W. Taylor Reveley III as Uncle Sam are becoming collectors items. Reveley tells students: "Only you can prevent the flu" and gives reminders on how to avoid it.
W&M has had 46 confirmed flu cases among 380 students with symptoms of flulike illnesses.
Longwood University in Farmville has posted a flu self-assessment test online to help students determine if they need to come to the health center. So far this semester, the university has had about 60 cases of flulike illnesses among students, faculty and staff. But half of those cases occurred in the past week.
At Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, nine students have been treated for flulike symptoms. Eight went home to recover, and one stayed on campus but was isolated from other students.
Washington and Lee University, which got an early cluster of the swine flu in the spring, gave each student a bottle of hand sanitizer at the start of this semester "as much for a symbol as hopefully to be used," spokesman Jeffery G. Hanna said.
So far the campus has seen 48 cases of flulike illnesses, which is much better than W&L officials expected given the spring outbreak, Hanna said. "And I'm knocking on wood as I say this."
From April 26 to June 1, the university had 41 flulike cases, of which 14 were confirmed as swine flu. Whether those cases will bring a measure of immunity for the campus is not known, Hanna said.
W&L is adjacent to VMI, whose infirmary has 20 beds "and some days it has been filled," MacInnis said. Four cadets had to be treated at a hospital for pneumonia, but they have recovered.
He said VMI estimates that 25 percent of those with symptoms actually have the flu.
Virginia State University in Ettrick has had six confirmed flu cases but has seen many more students with symptoms, spokesman Thomas Reed said.
The large number with symptoms is no surprise coming in the midst of cold and allergy season and "no small bit of hysteria," he said.
Contact Karin Kapsidelis at (80... or kkapsidelis@timesdispatch.com .
Flulike illnesses at Va. colleges show no pattern
By Karin Kapsidelis
Published: October 22, 2009
SPECIAL REPORT: Swine Flu
At the Virginia Military Institute, where three to six cadets share rooms "so small they put their bunks up during the day so they can get around," officials had expected roommates also would share the swine-flu virus.
"But that's not happening," said VMI spokesman Stewart MacInnis. "We're really not sure of the pattern" of how the virus is spreading among cadets on the Lexington campus, he said.
There seems to be no clear pattern, either, for which Virginia campuses are seeing higher numbers of suspected cases of the novel H1N1 virus at the start of flu season.
VMI, with 1,500 cadets, has had 125 cases of flulike illnesses since the beginning of the fall semester. Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond has 32,350 students but has had only about 125 report symptoms.
VCU's number is rising, however. Yesterday, 25 possible cases were reported, a sharp jump from the six to eight cases per day that were being seen more recently.
Since Aug. 22, the University of Virginia in Charlottesville has had 509 flulike illnesses among its 24,640 students. Most students live on campus, which could be a factor in the higher number there, U.Va. said.
How many of these cases really are the flu is not clear because most colleges, following health department direction, are not testing all students. Instead, they're keeping tallies on the number coming to health centers with flulike illnesses.
So far, most cases have been mild with only a few hospitalizations reported. But colleges still are braced for what may be to come with the virus, which has hit young people especially hard.
The early appearance of influenza symptoms is one indicator that this flu season will be different.
The University of Richmond has had 129 cases of flulike illnesses from the start of the semester through Tuesday. For the same period last year, its health center had seen only nine flulike cases.
"We have hand sanitizer everywhere on this campus now, and people are using it," UR spokesman Brian Eckert said.
The university has special meals for students with flulike illnesses available from its dining center and even will deliver them if no friend is available to help. UR also has given out 425 flu kits that contain surgical masks and other supplies through the health center and residence halls.
Those with symptoms are being encouraged to stay in their rooms and wear the masks if anyone else is present, Eckert said.
Other universities are taking similar measures and plan to offer H1N1 vaccines when they become available.
At the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, posters of President W. Taylor Reveley III as Uncle Sam are becoming collectors items. Reveley tells students: "Only you can prevent the flu" and gives reminders on how to avoid it.
W&M has had 46 confirmed flu cases among 380 students with symptoms of flulike illnesses.
Longwood University in Farmville has posted a flu self-assessment test online to help students determine if they need to come to the health center. So far this semester, the university has had about 60 cases of flulike illnesses among students, faculty and staff. But half of those cases occurred in the past week.
At Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, nine students have been treated for flulike symptoms. Eight went home to recover, and one stayed on campus but was isolated from other students.
Washington and Lee University, which got an early cluster of the swine flu in the spring, gave each student a bottle of hand sanitizer at the start of this semester "as much for a symbol as hopefully to be used," spokesman Jeffery G. Hanna said.
So far the campus has seen 48 cases of flulike illnesses, which is much better than W&L officials expected given the spring outbreak, Hanna said. "And I'm knocking on wood as I say this."
From April 26 to June 1, the university had 41 flulike cases, of which 14 were confirmed as swine flu. Whether those cases will bring a measure of immunity for the campus is not known, Hanna said.
W&L is adjacent to VMI, whose infirmary has 20 beds "and some days it has been filled," MacInnis said. Four cadets had to be treated at a hospital for pneumonia, but they have recovered.
He said VMI estimates that 25 percent of those with symptoms actually have the flu.
Virginia State University in Ettrick has had six confirmed flu cases but has seen many more students with symptoms, spokesman Thomas Reed said.
The large number with symptoms is no surprise coming in the midst of cold and allergy season and "no small bit of hysteria," he said.
Contact Karin Kapsidelis at (80... or kkapsidelis@timesdispatch.com .