A month ago the first case of H1N1 was confirmed on Ottawa University’s campus; since then, the number of infected faculty and students has increased.
OU has been tracking the number of supposedly infected members on campus, but in most of the cases the number is only assumed, not confirmed.
The Kansas Department of Health an Environment has decided it is no longer necessary for people to be tested and confirmed for swine flu, the thought is that if somebody is suffering from flu symptoms this early in the year, that person likely has caught the swine flu and should treat it like the normal flu: stay home, get plenty of rest, drink fluids, and avoid contact with others.
Andy Carrier, Dean of Student Affairs, notes that, although not confirmed, the number of people on campus who have contracted H1N1 multiplies every week, but has not escalated beyond control.
“It’s not a huge number, and we can’t confirm the cases, but the assumption is about 95 percent of flu-like cases are H1N1,” Carrier said.
Sam Warshawsky, freshman, is one of the students who recently caught H1N1 and has since recovered.
Warshawsky first went to the school nurse when he began experiencing flu-like symptoms; she demanded he see a doctor immediately.
“I have no idea who I contracted it from, to my knowledge I wasn’t in contact with anybody who had it.” Warshawsky said.
Warshawsky said his case of H1N1 wasn’t as severe as others and the most difficult aspect was missing classes.
“It was generally stressful, as a freshman, to miss over a week of schoolwork,” Warshawsky said, “when I got back all my professors were understanding and helpful.”
Cody Knapik, freshman and roommate of Warshawsky, was concerned when he heard someone he personally knew and lived with had H1N1.
“Well, I freaked out a little bit because I didn’t want to catch it,” Knapik said, “As soon as I found out I used half a can of Lysol and Clorox wipes. “
Hand washing and the hand sanitizers placed throughout campus have been credited for slowing the spread of H1N1.
Carrier thinks they have made a big impact on campus health.
According to the KDHE, although not all cases have been confirmed, H1N1 has virtually spread throughout all of Kansas and those who suspect they may have the virus should seek a doctor and treat the virus as they would the normal flu.