Unconfirmed case of H1N1 virus reported at Carmichaels
As the influenza season approaches, local school districts are taking precautions to stop the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu. Earlier this week, Carmichaels Area School District reported an unconfirmed case of H1N1. District Superintendent Craig Baily said the student was experiencing influenza-like symptoms, but the district was not contacted by a doctor confirming H1N1.
“We take the extra precautions to help prevent the spread of any kind of illness,” Baily said. “We have taught students how to wash their hands, how to use the hand sanitizers and how to cough and sneeze into an elbow, not a hand.”
Baily said the maintenance staff cleans common areas with a bleach solution, which kills the influenza virus. If a student or staff member becomes ill during the school day, maintenance spends extra time disinfecting those particular areas. He added that there are hand sanitizer dispensers in each classroom but stressed that the students are aware that hand sanitizer does not replace regular hand washing.
“It’s a strain of the flu that has to be dealt with,” Baily said. “We do the prevention and precautions, and we’re not telling the kids to come to the school when they are sick.”
The district’s attendance policy allows for 15 absences with only an excuse from a parent, but Baily said the district has been experiencing great attendance. Baily added that he has been in contact with the state Department of Health on a daily basis.
As of Tuesday, the Department of Health reported more than 3,000 confirmed cases of H1N1 in the state, with no confirmed cases in Greene County. There were two confirmed cases in Fayette County as of Tuesday.
Holli Senior, deputy press secretary for the Department of Health, said that of the 3,122 cases listed as confirmed that number only represents a small number of the H1N1 illness across the state. Only a fraction of influenza-like illness cases are sent to the state lab for confirmation. Although there are no confirmed H1N1 cases in Greene County, it is likely that anyone experiencing a flu-like illness has contracted H1N1.
“Over 90 percent of what we are seeing in individuals who are experiencing influenza-like illness is resulting to be H1N1,” Senior said.
While the seasonal influenza is beginning to circulate in some states, Senior said Pennsylvania has yet to see the seasonal flu virus. As of now, all influenza-like illnesses tested by the state lab have been H1N1.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the symptoms of 2009 H1N1 flu virus include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea. People may be infected with the flu, including 2009 H1N1 and have respiratory symptoms without a fever. Although the majority of people will recover with no medical treatment, a person should seek medical care if he or she has difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen, sudden dizziness, confusion or severe or persistent vomiting.
To avoid spreading H1N1, the CDC recommends that people wash their hands frequently, cough or sneeze into the elbow, throw away used tissues and stay home when they are sick.
For H1N1 updates, visit the CDC Web site at www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/ or the Pennsylvania Department of Health H1N1 Web site at www.h1n1inpa.com.