Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
Possible H1N1 Hits High School Team
4 Football Players Display Flu-Like Symptoms
POSTED: Friday, August 21, 2009
UPDATED: 5:25 pm EDT August 21, 2009
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. -- A Seminole County high school football team may be facing an outbreak of swine flu.
Four players on the Lake Brantley High School varsity football team are displaying swine flu-like symptoms, school officials said on Friday.
Football practice began earlier this month at the school, which is located on Sand Lake Road in Altamonte Springs, but it has now been canceled.
"In order to be proactive of something we weren't sure of, we canceled practice today and tomorrow morning," principal Mary Williams said. "Four students definitely, but we have had others who say, 'Maybe I'm not feeling so well,' so maybe six or sever and coaches just said we can't continue."
Williams said practice for the varsity team will begin again on Monday as long as no other players become sick. The junior varsity team is still practicing.
The county Health Department said Lake Brantley's possible outbreak could just be the beginning of a long flu season.
Health officials have warned parents and students to be extra vigilant about preventing the spread of swine flu, also known as the H1N1 virus. Students are asked to wash their hands frequently and parents have been told to keep sick students at home for 24 hours after their child's fever breaks.
School begins in most Central Florida counties on Monday.
Many countries could see swine flu cases double every three to four days for several months until peak transmission is reached, once cold weather returns to the northern hemisphere, said the World Health Organization's Western Pacific director, Shin Young-soo.
"At a certain point, there will seem to be an explosion in case numbers," Shin told a symposium of health officials and experts in Beijing. "It is certain there will be more cases and more deaths."
The WHO said the swine flu virus has killed almost 1,800 people worldwide, and has declared a pandemic.
WHO earlier estimated that as many as 2 billion people could become infected over the next two years -- nearly one-third of the world's population.
Others said Shin's cautionary comments were needed but that they were optimistic the spread would not be that serious.
Ann Moen, an influenza expert with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that if current trends continue it is possible that the swine flu pandemic will not be worse than a severe flu season.
http://www.clickorlando.com/health/20495542/detail.html
4 Football Players Display Flu-Like Symptoms
POSTED: Friday, August 21, 2009
UPDATED: 5:25 pm EDT August 21, 2009
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. -- A Seminole County high school football team may be facing an outbreak of swine flu.
Four players on the Lake Brantley High School varsity football team are displaying swine flu-like symptoms, school officials said on Friday.
Football practice began earlier this month at the school, which is located on Sand Lake Road in Altamonte Springs, but it has now been canceled.
"In order to be proactive of something we weren't sure of, we canceled practice today and tomorrow morning," principal Mary Williams said. "Four students definitely, but we have had others who say, 'Maybe I'm not feeling so well,' so maybe six or sever and coaches just said we can't continue."
Williams said practice for the varsity team will begin again on Monday as long as no other players become sick. The junior varsity team is still practicing.
The county Health Department said Lake Brantley's possible outbreak could just be the beginning of a long flu season.
Health officials have warned parents and students to be extra vigilant about preventing the spread of swine flu, also known as the H1N1 virus. Students are asked to wash their hands frequently and parents have been told to keep sick students at home for 24 hours after their child's fever breaks.
School begins in most Central Florida counties on Monday.
Many countries could see swine flu cases double every three to four days for several months until peak transmission is reached, once cold weather returns to the northern hemisphere, said the World Health Organization's Western Pacific director, Shin Young-soo.
"At a certain point, there will seem to be an explosion in case numbers," Shin told a symposium of health officials and experts in Beijing. "It is certain there will be more cases and more deaths."
The WHO said the swine flu virus has killed almost 1,800 people worldwide, and has declared a pandemic.
WHO earlier estimated that as many as 2 billion people could become infected over the next two years -- nearly one-third of the world's population.
Others said Shin's cautionary comments were needed but that they were optimistic the spread would not be that serious.
Ann Moen, an influenza expert with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that if current trends continue it is possible that the swine flu pandemic will not be worse than a severe flu season.
http://www.clickorlando.com/health/20495542/detail.html