Flu Cases Reported Among Duke Campers
The cases, reported among students and counselors participating in summer programs on the Duke campus, are generally mild and comparable to seasonal influenza.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
print |
DURHAM, N.C. -- Fourteen confirmed cases and more than a dozen suspected cases of influenza have been reported among students and counselors participating in summer programs on the Duke campus. The cases are suspected to be the H1N1 strain of flu, the only strain currently prevalent in this area. The cases are generally mild and comparable to seasonal influenza, university officials report.
The confirmed and suspected cases have come from Duke’s Talent Identification Program (TIP), American Dance Festival, and summer youth programs for science and writing. This summer, Duke will host 75 program sessions bringing nearly 7,800 students to campus to pursue their interests in advanced academic subjects, dance, science, writing, sports and other areas.
“Their symptoms are pretty much what you’d see with other kinds of flu,” said Bill Purdy, M.D., director of Duke’s student health center. “We’ve been working closely with all of the summer programs to identify anyone who may have been exposed, and to provide appropriate follow-up. We are evaluating the situation as it evolves and are working with both public health and infectious disease experts to ensure that the summer programs at Duke are safe for all participants.”
Purdy said Duke’s response was also consistent with recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for summer camps, which say “the primary means to reduce spread of influenza in camps focus on early identification of ill campers and staff, staying home (or away from others) when ill, good cough and hand hygiene etiquette, and environmental controls that encourage use of these hygiene practices.”
Duke health officials have closely coordinated their actions with local health officials, Purdy said.
Currently there are no vaccines available to prevent the H1N1 flu, but Duke physicians have asked all students and staff to follow these guidelines while on campus to minimize the risk of exposure and illness:
-- Cover the nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and throw the tissue away after use. If a tissue is not available, cough or sneeze into a shirt sleeve.
-- Wash hands often with soap and water or alcohol hand cleansers and after each cough and sneeze.
-- Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth especially if you have not just washed your hand.
-- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
-- Do not share food or drink with others.
-- Report any symptoms of influenza-like illness to counselors.
As of June 19, the CDC had reported 21,449 confirmed and probable H1N1 cases nationwide, including 125 in North Carolina.
Additional information about Duke’s preparations for influenza is available on a special website the university has created at http://www.duke.edu/flu2009.
