The H1N1 flu virus is believed to have made its way onto campus, and both SMU and health center officials are strongly advising precautionary measures to slow the spread through campus.
As of last week, the health center had seen four cases that tested positive for Type A influenza. This is not necessarily the H1N1 virus, but the university is sharing the view of the Dallas County Health Department, which is treating all Type A influenza as the H1N1 until confirmation can prove otherwise.
Megan Knapp, health educator for the SMU Memorial Health Center, said they could have potentially seen more cases over the weekend and Monday, treating 15 individuals with “flu like symptoms.”
The University cannot officially declare these cases H1N1 until test results come back from the Dallas County Health Department lab.
Knapp did admit that it would be hard for the health center to give an accurate number of students infected with the virus on campus, because many seek medical care off campus at private doctors and hospitals.
According to CBS 11, Texas Christian University, similar to SMU in campus size and population in Fort Worth, has already reported over 80 cases of the H1N1 virus.
Knapp believes that TCU’s fall Greek recruitment could have played a roll in accelerating the spread of the virus.
“Students spend a few days really close to each other, shaking hands and hugging, it would be really easy for the virus to spread,” Knapp said.
She added that colleges are at a particular disadvantage in trying to contain disease spread because students are constantly living and eating together.
The spread of the virus came on the heels of the White House announcing that with out the development of a vaccine for H1N1, approximately 30-50 percent of the U.S. population could be infected. Knapp said it was to hard to predict how the virus would spread around campus, but with such living density, would not rule the possibility of that amount of infection out.
Even though the Dallas Morning News just reported the first death from the H1N1 virus in Dallas County last week, Knapp said the real concern is not the deadliness of the virus, but rather the potential for spread.
Knapp said the Office for Emergency Management is currently re-evaluating the plan to implement in the case of a campus wide outbreak.
Knapp said at any early signs of the flu, students should seek medical attention. She said early signs include sudden high fevers, sore throats, coughing, and nausea and vomiting.
The health center is advocating personal hygiene as the best means of avoiding the flu. Washing your hands numerous times, staying away from sick people, coughing into shirt sleeve and to stay home from class if you do exhibit symptoms.
SMU officials are using smu.edu/flu to relay current information and encourage students to check frequently for updates on the flu situation on campus.
