Published: Friday, September 4, 2009
Some 2,000 sick with swine flu at WSU
PULLMAN — Washington State University officials say more than 2,000 students have been sickened by swine flu during the first two weeks of classes on the Pullman campus, though none have required hospitalization, according to WSU Health and Wellness Services.
Saturday’s football game between Stanford and Washington State will go on as scheduled.
“Public health officials believe that attending the game and sitting in the stadium poses almost no risk to attendees,” WSU said.
“We’ll have hand sanitizers at all concession stands,” said Bill Stevens, a spokesman for the football team, adding that 13 WSU players have shown flu symptoms at some point.
Dr. Dennis Garcia of WSU said most students suffer three to five days of discomfort. The school is handing out free flu kits including a thermometer, painkillers, throat lozenges, sport drinks, hand sanitizer and tissues.
According to a WSU web site, it is not clear if the number of students with flu has peaked. There were 158 patient contacts on Wednesday, about consistent with other days since school started in late August.
“There is no evidence to predict whether patient flow will increase or decrease,” WSU said on its web site.
Normally, the school would see only a handful of patients with influenza-like illness.
School officials said they don’t know how many students might have sought care outside the student health system, or how many are caring for themselves without contacting authorities.
In accordance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control, WSU is no longer testing patients to confirm swine flu infection, and is only testing high-risk patients for type A influenza. If a patient tests positive for type A flu, it is assumed they have H1N1 and are treated accordingly.
In adults, warning signs that need medical attention include: difficulty breathing; pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen; sudden dizziness; confusion; severe or persistent vomiting.
WSU officials are awaiting the arrival of 500 more doses of seasonal flu vaccine. “At this time we are focusing on our student patients and are not providing flu vaccine for WSU employees,” the school said.
Saturday’s football game between Stanford and Washington State will go on as scheduled.
“Public health officials believe that attending the game and sitting in the stadium poses almost no risk to attendees,” WSU said.
“We’ll have hand sanitizers at all concession stands,” said Bill Stevens, a spokesman for the football team, adding that 13 WSU players have shown flu symptoms at some point.
Dr. Dennis Garcia of WSU said most students suffer three to five days of discomfort. The school is handing out free flu kits including a thermometer, painkillers, throat lozenges, sport drinks, hand sanitizer and tissues.
According to a WSU web site, it is not clear if the number of students with flu has peaked. There were 158 patient contacts on Wednesday, about consistent with other days since school started in late August.
“There is no evidence to predict whether patient flow will increase or decrease,” WSU said on its web site.
Normally, the school would see only a handful of patients with influenza-like illness.
School officials said they don’t know how many students might have sought care outside the student health system, or how many are caring for themselves without contacting authorities.
In accordance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control, WSU is no longer testing patients to confirm swine flu infection, and is only testing high-risk patients for type A influenza. If a patient tests positive for type A flu, it is assumed they have H1N1 and are treated accordingly.
In adults, warning signs that need medical attention include: difficulty breathing; pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen; sudden dizziness; confusion; severe or persistent vomiting.
WSU officials are awaiting the arrival of 500 more doses of seasonal flu vaccine. “At this time we are focusing on our student patients and are not providing flu vaccine for WSU employees,” the school said.
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