Pitt Has Confirmed Case of H1N1

Add the University of Pittsburgh to the growing list of local schools with confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus.

Pitt spokesman John Fedele confirmed late Tuesday that one student has a confirmed case of the flu, and that a few other students are reporting influenza symptoms.

In a letter to students and faculty dated Monday, August 31, Vice Provost and Dean of Students Kathy Humphrey explained the situation and that the University is following federal influenza guidelines.

The letter says that besides rest, fluids and medications such as fever reducers, healthy individuals with mild to moderate symptoms generally should isolate themselves.

Another Pittsburgh university, Carnegie Mellon, reported last week that they had more than two dozen cases of the H1N1 illness, and Dr. Bruce Dixon of the Allegheny County Health Department says he expects to see many more cases of H1N1 in local schools as the year goes on.

"As people come back to school, they've been to a variety of places, and someone gets infected with the flu and they transmit it to their classmates," said Dr. Dixon this morning on KDKA Radio.

Dr. Dixon says the county health department doesn't have numbers on how many local schools have confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus.

"This is actually a milder version of the flu, so we havent been keeping count."

Dr. Dixon asoo pointed out that there shouldn't be too much to worry about with H1N1, and expects a vaccine in the near future, possibly in late October.

"This is influenza, not some bizarre disease we know nothing about."

According to Pitt's H1N1 fact website, the flu looks and feels like the seasonal flu we’ve experienced for many years, with symptoms including fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, body aches, and headache. Nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea occur in some patients. Warning signs that may indicate a more serious complication from H1N1 include difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest or stomach, sudden dizziness, and/or severe or persistent vomiting. Any of these warning signs necessitate emergency medical care- but most otherwise healthy people will recover on their own within a week or so.

Dr. Dixon says that the best prescription to fight H1N1 is common sense.

"Cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze, wash your hands- do the things you do normally and you'll protect yourself to a large degree."