H1N1-positive MSC students are quarantined
Monica Bonneau, '12 | Assistant Campus News Editor
Issue date: 10/30/09 Section: News
Morrisville officially confirmed on Wednesday its first two cases of the Swine Flu, also known as H1N1. By Friday this number jumped to four confirmed and 23 suspected cases. Campus officials expect this number to rise. With the virus spreading, it's important to take precautions, and know exactly what H1N1 is all about.
According to flu.gov, a website managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, H1N1 is a new strain of flu that originated from swine. It has different types of genes that allow it to spread through pigs, primarily in Europe and Asia, and also through humans. The symptoms range from mild to severe. About 70 percent of the most severe cases are accompanied by one or more medical conditions.
Ben Domingo is the Director of the Health Center at Morrisville. He explained that if a student is confirmed with the "A" type influenza, it's more than an 80-percent chance they can have H1N1. Type "A" is the most common among the influenzas "A"," B" and "C". Although type "B" can cause epidemics, it is milder than type "A," which causes serious epidemics.
"When testing for the flu, we test for type 'A' influenza and 'B' influenza," said Domingo. "I see many students with the type 'A' influenza; even though I can't test every student positive for the H1N1, it's almost positive they have it," he added.
Domingo has confirmed two actual cases of the H1N1 virus, along with 18 other possible cases. The reason these remain as just possible cases is because here at Morrisville, Domingo is only allowed to test for the virus twice a week due to the heavy costs of testing.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Swine Flu is a respiratory disease that is caused by type "A" influenza found in pigs. It was first recognized in pigs back in 1930. The current outbreak of the Swine Flu first occurred in April, 2009. It started along the Texas and Mexican borders, and the first confirmed case was in Mexico City.
According to flu.gov, a website managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, H1N1 is a new strain of flu that originated from swine. It has different types of genes that allow it to spread through pigs, primarily in Europe and Asia, and also through humans. The symptoms range from mild to severe. About 70 percent of the most severe cases are accompanied by one or more medical conditions.
Ben Domingo is the Director of the Health Center at Morrisville. He explained that if a student is confirmed with the "A" type influenza, it's more than an 80-percent chance they can have H1N1. Type "A" is the most common among the influenzas "A"," B" and "C". Although type "B" can cause epidemics, it is milder than type "A," which causes serious epidemics.
"When testing for the flu, we test for type 'A' influenza and 'B' influenza," said Domingo. "I see many students with the type 'A' influenza; even though I can't test every student positive for the H1N1, it's almost positive they have it," he added.
Domingo has confirmed two actual cases of the H1N1 virus, along with 18 other possible cases. The reason these remain as just possible cases is because here at Morrisville, Domingo is only allowed to test for the virus twice a week due to the heavy costs of testing.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Swine Flu is a respiratory disease that is caused by type "A" influenza found in pigs. It was first recognized in pigs back in 1930. The current outbreak of the Swine Flu first occurred in April, 2009. It started along the Texas and Mexican borders, and the first confirmed case was in Mexico City.