H1N1 hits UA campus, sororities

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http://www.cw.ua.edu/h1n1-swine-flu-hits-campus-sororities-1.1816998#4

H1N1 ?swine flu? hits campus, sororitiesFrom staff reports

The Crimson White

Updated: Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus ? otherwise known as ?swine flu? ? have appeared in the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority house, coming only days after the end of fall recruitment, said the sorority?s president Stacy Summerville.


Five or six girls had been diagnosed with swine flu, Summerville said, but the sorority?s house has not been quarantined. To keep others from getting sick, she said they have been cleaning the house with Lysol on almost every surface.


?As soon as we found out a girl had [H1N1], I immediately called the Student Health Center to ask what we should do,? Summerville said.


Early Tuesday evening, the University sent out an e-mail stating 21 students were ?exhibiting flu-like symptoms,? but the e-mail did not confirm those students as having the H1N1 virus. The e-mail also cautioned students to take steps to limit the spread of the flu, such as frequent hand washing and sterilizing contaminated surfaces.


Dr. David Kimberlin, co-director of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, told The Crimson White in April swine flu was a ?reason to be concerned.?


However, Kimberlin cautioned, ?Symptoms do not mean swine flu.?


Nurses at the health center told Summerville the panic about H1N1 had died down and that they were treating it like the typical flu virus, she said, so they did not need to close the sorority house.


She said she thinks the virus spread during sorority recruitment last week.
?We were all here all day every day,? Summerville said.


As soon as members start to have flu-like symptoms, she said she has been telling them to go get tested to see if they have H1N1.


?I?m just waiting for it to spread through Tutwiler [Hall],? Summerville said.

 

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Re: H1N1 hits UA campus, sororities

Schools play role in swine flu battle

Impact of the H1N1 strain in state has been minimal so far

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University of Alabama students walk across University Boulevard in the rain in August 2008. The school has 21 confirmed cases of students who are exhibiting flu-like symptoms, spokeswoman Cathy Andreen said. But it is not known if they have the H1N1 strain. UA sent a message to faculty, staff and students asking them to protect themselves against swine flu.


<!-- /MAIN PHOTO --><!-- BYLINE -->By Lydia Seabol Avant Staff Writer <!-- /BYLINE --><!-- PUBDATE -->
Published: Wednesday, August 19, 2009 at 6:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 at 11:37 p.m.
<!-- /PUBDATE -->Tuscaloosa County has reported only 14 cases of swine flu since the outbreak began in April, comprising about 1 percent of the total number of cases in Alabama.


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<!-- /GRAY BOX ARTICLE CONTENT-->But officials at the state Department of Public Health say the actual number of cases is likely much higher.
Most cases of the swine flu, also known as the H1N1 strain, are no longer being sent to the state for testing, said Jim McVay, who directs the state?s Bureau of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease. Patients who show flu-like symptoms should automatically be treated for the swine flu.
?Ninety-nine percent of the samples since July 1 have been H1N1,? McVay said. ?We know that this is the predominant strain, so we are concentrating on the severe cases.?
State Health Officer Don Williamson said schools will play a huge role in containing the virus.
Classes at the University of Alabama begin today. The school already has 21 confirmed cases of students who are exhibiting flu-like symptoms, said spokeswoman Cathy Andreen. But it is not known if they have the H1N1 strain.
?The state recommends the H1N1 be treated like seasonal flu,? Andreen said. ?Any student who is ill should contact the student health center.?
The university has had a pandemic flu plan in place for several years that will be rolled out in case the flu becomes more serious. Andreen said the plan to deal with H1N1 specifically was created in the spring. A message was sent to students, staff and faculty Tuesday afternoon, advising them to take basic precautions such as washing their hands or covering their mouths when they cough.
?We are going to be proactive in reaching out to students,? she said.
The Tuscaloosa County School System has had a swine flu plan in place for about two years, said John Merrill, spokesman for the county schools. New guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say schools should stay open unless a large number of students become ill or if there are a large number at risk for complications.
Its plan includes basic instructions on how to address students? symptoms, whether parents should be notified and how long the student should be isolated if they have flu-like symptoms. Merrill said that no students in the county schools have been officially diagnosed by the state health department as having the swine flu.
The Tuscaloosa City Schools, which also has not had any official cases of swine flu, has a similar plan, said Dorothy Richardson, assistant superintendent for general administration.
According to McVay, anyone who feels as though they have the flu should stay at home rather than going to school or work. Instead of going to a doctor?s office for treatment, McVay suggests that people call their health-care provider and follow their instructions. People who think they have the flu also should not go out in public until they have gone 24 hours without a fever.
The health department said the H1N1 virus is likely to surge again and could double the number of flu-related deaths this season. Williamson said Alabama normally has 500 to 700 deaths from the flu each year.
?What [the CDC is] saying is, with H1N1 we could see a doubling,? Williamson said. ?If you simply take that same logic and if we have 500 deaths, we could see, this flu season, 1,000 to 1,500 people die.?
To prepare for the flu season, the state health department is planning the largest vaccination program in state history.
McVay said 4.2 million doses of vaccine are scheduled to be shipped to the state Department of Public Health by the end of December, although the exact amount depends on manufacturers.
There should be enough doses to vaccinate everyone in Alabama, McVay said, but it?s unknown how many are expected to get the vaccinations. Regardless, he said, the state never before has attempted such a large vaccination program.
Williamson said most adults would need two doses of the vaccine because they have not been exposed to the new flu strain. He said the vaccines will be free, and insurers are expected to pay any administrative costs.
?At the end of the day nobody?s going to be denied a [H1N1] vaccine because of their inability to pay,? Williamson said.
Other states also are receiving doses of vaccine by the millions.
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report. Reach Lydia Seabol Avant at 205-722-0222 or lydia.seabolavant@tuscaloosanews.com.

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/artic...7?Title=Schools-play-role-in-swine-flu-battle

 

[wdcare]

Re: H1N1 hits UA campus, sororities

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/08/university_of_alabama_auburn_r.html
University of Alabama, Auburn report swine flu cases
Birmingham News August 19, 2009 5:20 PM

University of Alabama officials have confirmed at least 50 cases of influenza on campus, most of them likely the swine flu.

Auburn University's medical clinic also reported six cases of the disease today.

Officials at campuses around the state have been preparing throughout the summer for a surge of H1N1, commonly known as swine flu, which caused a scare when it first emerged earlier this year.

The illness is hitting K-12 schools as well. Trussville city schools, for example, have seven confirmed cases of novel H1N1 influenza and Vestavia Hills city schools have eight suspected cases.

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: H1N1 hits UA campus, sororities

Schools hit with many possible swine flu cases

Posted: Aug 19, 2009 7:02 PM CDT

Updated: Aug 19, 2009 7:47 PM CDT


Schools hit with possible cases of H1N1 flu
2:28


MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - Just 8 days into the new school year and already possible cases of the H1N1 flu are popping up in local schools.

More youngsters than normal for this time of the year are staying home or being sent home with flu-like symptoms.

But, school administrators are stressing they are not alarmed and you shouldn't be either.

Of the ten thousand students in Autauga County schools, Superintendent Greg Faulkner said one returned recently with an unexpected note for the teacher. "One of their children came back and said ?Please excuse. Was out for swine flu.' So, that was an actual doctor's excuse."

And, in Elmore County, the situation may be worse according to administrator Billy Womble. "We have had and this is updated since yesterday between 50 and 55 confirmed cases of the flu. Now, in saying that they're testing Type A flu at all the doctors' offices and it comes back positive you probably have H1N1."

Doctors are now testing for the flu in their offices whereas before test results were sent to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. But, the Public Health Department's Dr. Charles Woernle says now doctors can come closer to a diagnosis. "They are not specific for H1N1, but since we have so much H1N1 out there that if the rapid test is positive then you likely got the H1N1 disease."

And, even though the signs and symptoms may be there for H1N1 flu, school administrators say it's no time to panic.

"We also have children out with the chicken pox right now, with strep throat, with a virus. So, we have a lot of kids who are in and out of school right now," says Womble.

And Faulkner adds "I guess we're not alarmed right now because we see the children going home and being tested for whatever symptom it might be and coming back to school healthy and fine."

The Public Health Department says what's different this year is we're having so much flu in August. That's very atypical and supports the notion that we do have a new pandemic influenza. Doctors recommend if your child does come down with a fever to keep him home at least 24 hours after the fever is gone and that's without medication.

Baptist Medical Centers tell us they have seen an increase in people coming in with flu-like symptoms.

Clinical trials for the H1N1 vaccine are underway now. The makers hope to have it available in October. Little comfort for folks suffering with the flu right now.

http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?S=10959445

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: H1N1 hits UA campus, sororities

Baldwin County Flu Outbreak


Pat Peterson Doctors across Baldwin County are treating dozens of flu cases this week including the dangerous H1N1 "swine flu" strain.

"There are a lot of outbreaks in different countries already and because of global travel, people must be bringing it in different areas," says Dr. Awadhesh Gupta who practices medicine in Foley.

Most of the patients are children. If a test looks positive, physicians are calling it swine flu.

"If you have Type A, there's a very likely chance that you have one of the new Novel H1N1 which is also called swine flu," says Gupta.

School officials are concerned. At least 25 flu cases have been reported at schools across Baldwin County this week, with at least one new case reported daily. Some of the cases are confirmed H1N1. By the end of the month, every school will have an active case.

School nurses are wearing protective masks and are giving children masks if they're sick. Nurses are also sending home health alerts and warnings to parents.

Tips To Avoid the flu:

-wash hands frequently

-avoid putting your hands in your mouth

-turn away to cough and use tissue when sneezing

-report any sickness immediately and visit a
doctor

http://www.wkrg.com/medical/article/baldwin-county-flu-outbreak/274712/Aug-19-2009_6-57-pm/

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: H1N1 hits UA campus, sororities

54 cases of flu reported at Ala. school

Last Update: 8:04 am

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) -


University of Alabama officials say 54 cases of influenza were reported on the first day of school.

John Maxwell of the Student Health Center says most of the cases are likely the swine flu and says health officials believe the outbreak started with sorority rush last week.

He says "everyone is a little bit edgy" after the group of mostly students tested positive as school began Tuesday. But he says the school has prepared throughout the summer for a surge of the H1N1 virus.

Maxwell says the university has set up a flu hot line for parents and students. And he says the roommates of students who test positive for the virus are immediately prescribed anti-flu drugs.


http://www.cbs42.com/news/state/sto...ted-at-Ala-school/0MNFKGatKkOCqOWczWquoQ.cspx