Number of swine flu cases continues to rise daily

| Student Life Staff

Suspected cases of swine flu at Washington University hit four on Thursday evening, with school officials expecting the number to increase.

Tests completed at Student Health Services (SHS) concluded that the students have influenza A. Almost all of the influenza A virus currently circulating is thought to be novel H1N1 influenza, the virus that causes swine flu.

The University announced the campus’s first suspected case of swine flu late Tuesday evening. Two cases were announced on Wednesday, and the fourth on Thursday. All of the sick students are expected to make full recoveries.

“I suspect that we will see more in the next days and weeks,” Alan Glass, director of Student Health Services, wrote in an e-mail to Student Life.

He wrote that these cases are not unexpected because “this virus has been affecting college and university students nationally with some frequency.”

In late June, the CDC released a statement estimating that there had been at least 1 million cases of swine flu in the United States, most of them undiagnosed or unreported.

The affected students are currently in self-isolation in accordance with University flu protocol, which is based on recommendations by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At least two of the students live in on-campus housing.

As a preparatory measure, the University appointed an Emerging Infectious Disease Task Force last spring when the swine flu epidemic first hit. Glass heads this taskforce.

The University is asking affected students to remain in their living spaces until they are fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.

Thursday marked the second day that the University offered seasonal influenza vaccinations. Seventy students were immunized on Wednesday and another 90 on Thursday.

“It is extremely important for students to have flu shots this year,” Glass wrote.

The University asks all students and faculty to not attend classes or work if they are feeling ill. Subsequently, professors and lecturers were asked not to penalize students if they miss class for health reasons.

The symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches and headache. Some people with novel H1N1 flu have also reported vomiting and diarrhea. The University encourages those who experience these symptoms to contact Student Health Services at 314-935-6666.

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