Swine flu reaches Rice, infects over 120 students

By Seth Brown     9/10/09 7:00pm

Editor's note: This article has been changed from the printed version.Swine flu has officially hit Rice. The H1N1 flu virus, commonly known as swine flu, has infected over 120 students, Director of Student Health Services Mark Jenkins said.

As of Tuesday afternoon, 123 students had sought medical attention at the Health Services Center. However, Jenkins said this number may not reflect the actual number of infected students, as more likely stayed in their dorms or apartments instead of seeking a medical opinion. Jenkins estimated that 20 percent of the student body may have contracted the virus.

Although students have not been tested to determine the strain, viral testing performed throughout the country by the World Health Organization suggests that the overwhelming number of cases in which flu-like symptoms are exhibited are due to the H1N1 virus.

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National statistics, collected by the Center for Disease Control, show there have been 9,079 hospitalizations and 593 deaths so far in the United States due to H1N1; by comparison, the CDC notes an average of 36,000 people died in flu-related deaths in the United States each year from 1993 to 2003.

There has not been a fatal case of H1N1 at Rice so far, and Dean of Undergraduates Robin Forman said the university's goal was straightforward.

"We want to keep healthy people healthy," Forman said.

In order to do this, Forman encouraged frequent hand washing, the use of the recently installed hand sanitizers throughout campus and the continual practice of other good hygiene habits in those still healthy. For those infected with the virus, Forman asked them to prevent the further spread of the virus.

"Those already infected should practice social distancing, and wear masks, of the sort that is provided by Health Services, if possible when in public spaces," Forman said.

In response to a campus rumor that the university is dealing with the current outbreaks by quarantining entire college floors or sending sick students home, Forman denied that any formal quarantines are in effect. Local students who have fallen ill, however, are advised to spend time at home.

The upcoming fall and winter are expected to be seasons with high incidences of both the H1N1 virus and seasonal flu strains. Forman said for this reason, uninfected students are encouraged to get both H1N1 and seasonal vaccinations as they become available.

"Our first priority is to minimize the impact of any flu, and we are making every effort to obtain the vaccines," Forman said. "The best case is that not much genetic drift will have occurred so that those who are infected now will not get sick again, should the H1N1 virus return later this fall."

The vaccine for the seasonal flu, which was originally expected to be available yesterday, will not be available for several weeks due to widespread delays.

Jones College sophomore Steven Boswell said he was upset by the delays.

"I think the administration has generally done a good job responding to the outbreaks, but I wish there were normal flu vaccinations," Boswell said.

Although Jenkins said he could not accurately project when the vaccination would be ready, he said the vaccine will likely arrive within the next few weeks, and noted that the campus is keeping a close watch on the spread of the seasonal flu.

However, contracting H1N1 will not grant immunity to the seasonal flu. For those students who feel an immediate need to obtain the seasonal flu vaccine, Jenkins said it is available at several local pharmacies.

The H1N1 vaccine, now in its final testing stages, is estimated to become available next month, possibly in two phases, Jenkins said. The CDC has stated on its Web site that those under 25 are a priority in their combating the virus, as H1N1 primarily infects this younger subset of the population. Jenkins said older people may have a greater resistance due to surviving previous pandemics.

"People under 25 are unlikely to have any inherent resistance," Jenkins said. "Those at greater risk are anyone with a chronic condition that may impair response."

He cited the CDC Web site as a good resource both for those already infected and those still healthy.

"Most people will recover without the need for treatment, but those with chronic conditions should have a conversation with their treating doctor," Jenkins said.

The CDC currently does not recommend treatment for those not at considerable risk, as this generally only reduces symptom duration and has side effects of its own.

"H1N1 behaves pretty much like the standard flu," Jenkins added. "Assume shared surfaces are infected, and, should you become critically ill, seek immediate medical attention.

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