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Local colleges deal with flu outbreaks
By Peggy O'Farrell ? pofarrell@enquirer.com ? August 28, 2009
At least 70 Xavier University students have reported flu-like symptoms to the university?s health center, spokeswoman Debora Del Valle said Friday night.
The university has confirmed seven cases of H1N1 flu, or swine flu, among its students, but is no longer testing to confirm its presence, Del Valle said.
Those reporting flu-like symptoms are presumed to have H1N1 flu, she said.
?We?ve stopped testing, in line with CDC guidelines, and started treating,? Del Valle said.
The lower level of the alumni center has been set up as a convalescence and isolation area for sick students, with room for as many as 45. The center was not at capacity Friday night, Del Valle said.
University officials worked with the Cincinnati Health Department to identify an isolation area, she said, and the space chosen has its own bathrooms and separate entrances and ventilation system.
Fall classes started Monday, the same day the university reported two students had H1N1 flu.
Del Valle said the university has rescheduled or canceled several large-group events planned through Labor Day, but that the school has not considered canceling classes.
The flu virus is also continuing to spread at other local campuses.
Miami University is reporting 25 cases of H1N1 among its students, and there may be more, a spokeswoman said Friday.
Officials at the Oxford university said that staff are continuing to set hand sanitizer and wipes around campus to help cut down on the spread of the new flu strain.
Miami?s 25 presumed cases of H1N1 flu ?are the ones we know about,? said spokeswoman Claire Wagner. University officials reported their first H1N1 cases Tuesday, the day after classes started.
The university, which began fall classes Monday, is ?nowhere near? the point of considering canceling classes or closing residence halls, Wagner added.
Just as public health officials had feared, H1N1 cases began appearing on campus and in public schools this week as fall classes resumed.
Boone County Schools in Northern Kentucky are also reporting cases among its students.
The University of Cincinnati also reported H1N1 cases earlier this week.
Spokesman Greg Hand said no more students are being tested for the flu strain. Instead, he said, students with flu symptoms are being told to stay home.
UC?s fall classes start Sept. 23. The summer session ended Friday.
Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights still has no confirmed or probable H1N1 cases, said spokesman Chris Cole, but student health services staff are seeing more students complaining of flu-like symptoms.
In keeping with federal and state health guidelines, most health providers are doing rapid tests to determine if people are sick with a Type A strain of flu. If the answer is yes, providers are told to assume for now that the patient has H1N1 flu.
Treatment for the new strain is the same as treatment for seasonal flu: fluids, bed rest, acetaminophen for fever, and if there?s time, antivirals such as Tamiflu to help shorten the duration of symptoms.
Students at local universities have been instructed to stay home or in their residence rooms if ill. At Miami, sick students can arrange to have friends or residence hall staff pick up meals for them while they are ill, Wagner said.
Students and staff have also been notified of prevention efforts, including regular hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes and avoiding contact with sick people, she said.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090828/NEWS01/308280035/Colleges+deal+with+flu+outbreaks
By Peggy O'Farrell ? pofarrell@enquirer.com ? August 28, 2009
At least 70 Xavier University students have reported flu-like symptoms to the university?s health center, spokeswoman Debora Del Valle said Friday night.
The university has confirmed seven cases of H1N1 flu, or swine flu, among its students, but is no longer testing to confirm its presence, Del Valle said.
Those reporting flu-like symptoms are presumed to have H1N1 flu, she said.
?We?ve stopped testing, in line with CDC guidelines, and started treating,? Del Valle said.
The lower level of the alumni center has been set up as a convalescence and isolation area for sick students, with room for as many as 45. The center was not at capacity Friday night, Del Valle said.
University officials worked with the Cincinnati Health Department to identify an isolation area, she said, and the space chosen has its own bathrooms and separate entrances and ventilation system.
Fall classes started Monday, the same day the university reported two students had H1N1 flu.
Del Valle said the university has rescheduled or canceled several large-group events planned through Labor Day, but that the school has not considered canceling classes.
The flu virus is also continuing to spread at other local campuses.
Miami University is reporting 25 cases of H1N1 among its students, and there may be more, a spokeswoman said Friday.
Officials at the Oxford university said that staff are continuing to set hand sanitizer and wipes around campus to help cut down on the spread of the new flu strain.
Miami?s 25 presumed cases of H1N1 flu ?are the ones we know about,? said spokeswoman Claire Wagner. University officials reported their first H1N1 cases Tuesday, the day after classes started.
The university, which began fall classes Monday, is ?nowhere near? the point of considering canceling classes or closing residence halls, Wagner added.
Just as public health officials had feared, H1N1 cases began appearing on campus and in public schools this week as fall classes resumed.
Boone County Schools in Northern Kentucky are also reporting cases among its students.
The University of Cincinnati also reported H1N1 cases earlier this week.
Spokesman Greg Hand said no more students are being tested for the flu strain. Instead, he said, students with flu symptoms are being told to stay home.
UC?s fall classes start Sept. 23. The summer session ended Friday.
Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights still has no confirmed or probable H1N1 cases, said spokesman Chris Cole, but student health services staff are seeing more students complaining of flu-like symptoms.
In keeping with federal and state health guidelines, most health providers are doing rapid tests to determine if people are sick with a Type A strain of flu. If the answer is yes, providers are told to assume for now that the patient has H1N1 flu.
Treatment for the new strain is the same as treatment for seasonal flu: fluids, bed rest, acetaminophen for fever, and if there?s time, antivirals such as Tamiflu to help shorten the duration of symptoms.
Students at local universities have been instructed to stay home or in their residence rooms if ill. At Miami, sick students can arrange to have friends or residence hall staff pick up meals for them while they are ill, Wagner said.
Students and staff have also been notified of prevention efforts, including regular hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes and avoiding contact with sick people, she said.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090828/NEWS01/308280035/Colleges+deal+with+flu+outbreaks