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W. Salem schools hit by illness; H1N1 virus surfacing at area colleges
Posted: Friday, September 18, 2009
West Salem schools have started out the year with absences that rival the height of flu season, but officials in other area districts reported no similar rise in ill students or staff.
The H1N1 flu virus has surfaced at two local colleges, with four confirmed cases at Viterbo University and one at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Western Technical College has no reported cases.
But only West Salem seems to have been hit hard by illness so far at the public school level.
More than 20 students and staff members have missed class because of what most likely is the H1N1 virus, West Salem Superintendent Nancy Burns said.
She compared the level of absences to what is seen in January through March, the normal period for seasonal flu. Most have been in the high school.
Area medical centers no longer send all suspected H1N1 cases in for testing, so it isn't always confirmed to be the virus, Burns said.
Most who became ill recovered within seven days without ospitalization, she said.
The La Crosse School District has seen a normal level of illness since classes resumed Sept. 1, said Lynda Narish Johnson, school nurse coordinator. Average is about 3 percent to 4 percent of the students out sick, she said.
Officials in the La Crescent, Onalaska, Holmen, Prairie du Chien and Tomah school districts also reported normal absentee levels - for now.
"When kids come back together every year and start mingling and get close together, we always see some illness start to percolate," said Andy VanSickle, nurse for Onalaska Schools.
While she was unaware of any confirmed H1N1 cases in the district, one student "sounds as though they do have it," VanSickle said
The H1N1 cases at Viterbo and UW-L all were confirmed by family physicians, officials said. No students were hospitalized, but they went home to isolate themselves and recuperate.
Viterbo advises they don't return to classes until 24 hours after their fever has subsided without the use of medication, said Sue Danielson, health services nurse at Viterbo.
"This was expected. It is what we have been preparing for," Danielson said.
More students may have the virus who haven't been diagnosed, said Danielson. Her office has been busy, she said, with about 20 students a day in the past week coming in with flu-like symptoms.
http://www.lacrossetribune.com/news...a-a40c-11de-b719-001cc4c03286.html?mode=story
Posted: Friday, September 18, 2009
West Salem schools have started out the year with absences that rival the height of flu season, but officials in other area districts reported no similar rise in ill students or staff.
The H1N1 flu virus has surfaced at two local colleges, with four confirmed cases at Viterbo University and one at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Western Technical College has no reported cases.
But only West Salem seems to have been hit hard by illness so far at the public school level.
More than 20 students and staff members have missed class because of what most likely is the H1N1 virus, West Salem Superintendent Nancy Burns said.
She compared the level of absences to what is seen in January through March, the normal period for seasonal flu. Most have been in the high school.
Area medical centers no longer send all suspected H1N1 cases in for testing, so it isn't always confirmed to be the virus, Burns said.
Most who became ill recovered within seven days without ospitalization, she said.
The La Crosse School District has seen a normal level of illness since classes resumed Sept. 1, said Lynda Narish Johnson, school nurse coordinator. Average is about 3 percent to 4 percent of the students out sick, she said.
Officials in the La Crescent, Onalaska, Holmen, Prairie du Chien and Tomah school districts also reported normal absentee levels - for now.
"When kids come back together every year and start mingling and get close together, we always see some illness start to percolate," said Andy VanSickle, nurse for Onalaska Schools.
While she was unaware of any confirmed H1N1 cases in the district, one student "sounds as though they do have it," VanSickle said
The H1N1 cases at Viterbo and UW-L all were confirmed by family physicians, officials said. No students were hospitalized, but they went home to isolate themselves and recuperate.
Viterbo advises they don't return to classes until 24 hours after their fever has subsided without the use of medication, said Sue Danielson, health services nurse at Viterbo.
"This was expected. It is what we have been preparing for," Danielson said.
More students may have the virus who haven't been diagnosed, said Danielson. Her office has been busy, she said, with about 20 students a day in the past week coming in with flu-like symptoms.
http://www.lacrossetribune.com/news...a-a40c-11de-b719-001cc4c03286.html?mode=story