Seven Total Suspected Cases of H1N1 Virus
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, has a total of seven students who have tested positive for Type A influenza, suggesting they may be the college’s first cases of H1N1 virus.
Of these, four students have been tested through the college’s Health and Wellness Center. The college is awaiting positive confirmation of their respective diagnoses, which may take 48-72 hours for processing.
Three students have self-reported that other physicians have diagnosed them as testing positive for Type A influenza. Confirmation of these diagnoses is not available at this time.
All seven students have opted to return home to recover, following recommended self-isolation guidelines. Penn State Behrend faculty members have been asked to provide a means other than by personal visit for students to inform them of absence due to flu symptoms. Students are to be provided with a reasonable opportunity to make up missed work.
In the event a resident student is ill and cannot return home, it is the policy of Penn State Behrend to make alternative housing arrangements for well roommates to avoid displacing ill students. Housing and Food Services also has a process in place so that resident students who are ill and cannot return home can order food and liquids to be brought to their rooms.
According to Pasky McMahon, the Health and Wellness Center is seeing students who are experiencing influenza-like illness (ILI) and have tested negative for Type A as well as students who are being diagnosed with strep throat, sinus infections and bronchitis.
“We are encouraging Penn State Behrend students to come to Health and Wellness for treatment rather than self-diagnosing,” she said.
Students coming to the health center with ILI symptoms are being given standard treatment recommendations that include bed rest, fluid intake, and the use of over-the-counter medications to reduce pain, fever, coughs and other symptoms. Flu sufferers are being advised to isolate themselves from others until they are fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.