University of Virginia documents spread of swine flu among students

The number of University of Virginia students who have reported flu-like symptoms continued to climb Monday, with more than 120 students sickened during the fall semester so far.

As of 5:30 p.m., UVa’s Elson Student Health Center had tallied 125 students with flu-like symptoms since Aug. 22. Of them, 104 were undergraduates and 21 were graduate or professional students.

“We see the flu every year, but never in August and September,“ said Dr. James Turner, director of the health center. “This feels very unusual to see it this early.“

Many, but not necessarily all, of the reported flu-like cases are likely related to the H1N1 strain of influenza, also known as swine flu, university and local health officials said.

So far, all of the reported flu-like cases at UVa have been classified as mild. One student was kept overnight in the emergency room, but the spike in cases has not otherwise resulted in hospitalizations, Turner said.

Student Health has been seeing an estimated 15 to 20 students each day, Turner said. On Monday, the center saw 31, according to a running tally of flu-like cases on the center’s Web site.

“The number is going up very quickly today,“ Turner said. “It’s been brisk.“

Everyone entering UVa’s health center is required to don a facemask and rub their hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Turner, who is president of the American College Health Association, said Virginia’s colleges and universities are not yet experiencing the extraordinarily high levels of influenza seen in other states.

Virginia colleges, he said, are reporting 8.4 flu-like cases out of every 10,000 students. The national average, he said, is 18 flu-like cases per 10,000 students.

UVa has taken measures to minimize the number of flu-like cases.

The university has posted 10,000 static clings in residence halls, athletics facilities and offices that offer tips to “stop the flu.“ UVa’s office of intramural recreational sports has distributed 1,000 containers of hand-sanitizing gel that are attached to backpack clips. Housekeepers have been asked to increase the frequency with which they clean doorknobs and push plates. Facilities Management staffers are checking restrooms twice a day to ensure that soap dispensers are fully stocked.

“Education is the key here,“ said Carol Wood, UVa’s spokeswoman. “Wash your hands.“

UVa began offering its employees seasonal flu vaccine shots last week and will continue providing the vaccinations through the end of September.

Dr. Lilian Peake, director of the Thomas Jefferson Health District, said it is impossible to know exactly how many cases of H1N1 influenza have occurred in the Charlottesville area.

The health department has not yet seen major outbreaks of the H1N1 virus in the region, but there is certainly an escalation in flu-like cases, Peake said.

“We know it’s circulating in the community, but we’re not seeing the big outbreaks yet,“ she said.

Peake recommended that everyone get a seasonal flu vaccination now and an H1N1 vaccination once it becomes available next month.

“We suggest that everyone who wants to reduce their chances of getting influenza should get both vaccines,“ she said.

The flu vaccine is safe for anyone older than 6 months.

Groups that are considered high risk for getting the flu include: children younger than 5 years old; pregnant women; people older than 65; and anyone with asthma, heart disease, lung disease, diabetes or other such conditions.