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## H1N1 Flu

### H1N1 Flu

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# H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) Infections Alert for Institutions of Higher Education

Page last updated May 1, 2009 1:30 AM ET

CDC has  identified cases of H1N1 influenza virus infection in people in a number of  states. CDC is working with local and state health agencies to investigate  these cases. 

						    The same virus has been found in people in Mexico,  the United States and Canada  and is being reported in other countries as well. Symptoms for H1N1 flu have included fever,  headache, upper respiratory tract symptoms (cough, sore throat, rhinorrhea),  myalgia, fatigue, vomiting, or diarrhea.     Illnesses among persons infected with H1N1 flu virus have mostly been  treated at home, but some cases have been hospitalized and deaths have been  reported.  It is anticipated that many  more cases, including cases that require hospitalizations and some that result  in death, will occur.  Most people will  not have immunity to this new virus and, as it continues to spread, more cases  are expected in the coming days and weeks.  

						    CDC has implemented its emergency response.  The agency’s goals are to reduce transmission and illness severity, and provide  information to help health care providers, public health officials and the  public address the challenges posed by the new virus. The World Health Organization has  raised the worldwide pandemic alert level. In  response to these developments, CDC is recommending that states, communities,  institutions and individuals assess their emergency response plans and  capacities. 

						    For post  secondary institutions of higher education, CDC recommends that you:  
                - Review your institutions plans for       responding to a public health emergency and make sure they are up to date.
                - Know local/state plans for institutions       of higher education in the event of a mild or severe disease outbreak.       This information may be available from  state or local health authorities .  
                - Ask your campus health center to develop       and implement a system to track and report (to the local health       department) influenza-like illness (an illness with at least fever and       sore throat or cough) among students.  
                - Persons with influenza-like-illness       should consult their physician and the institution should consult with       their local or state health department for recommendations on identifying       persons with H1N1 flu and ways to prevent spread of this virus. 
                - Institutions of higher education should promote  everyday preventive actions for  students and staff:  1) Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when  you cough or sneeze. 2) Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. 3) Wash  your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze.  Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective. 4) Avoid close contact with  sick people. 5) Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.  6) If you get influenza-like illness symptoms, stay home from work or school  except to seek medical care and limit contact with others to keep from  infecting them. 
                - Monitor  the postings on the CDC web site and that of your local and state health  departments and follow local health department advice about possible closure of  colleges and universities 
                - Contact your local public       health department if you have questions or suspected cases. 

Institutions of higher education can help  protect the health of their staff and their students by calling attention to  the every day preventive actions that can be taken to prevent the spread of  influenza. (Please consider posting or distributing the everyday actions to  prevent the spread of influenza attached with this memo across campus including  residential dorms). 

							  Review and implement, if needed, CDC Guidelines and Recommendations for Preventing the  Spread of Influenza (the Flu) in a declared  pandemic.  (See appendix 7, *Pandemic  Influenza Community Mitigation Interim Planning Guide for Colleges and  Universities*)

            - Links to non-federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. These links do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the federal government, and none should be inferred. CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at these links.

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        - Page last reviewed May 1, 2009 1:30 AM ET
        - Page last updated May 1, 2009 1:30 AM ET
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