Newberry Academy remains closed as medical officials sort out the source of a flu bug running through the senior class, and now beyond.
The two Newberrians of the 22 swabbed to test for swine flu tested probable for "a novel strain" of influenza not seen before in humans, says Jim Beasley, DHEC spokesman.
Those two swabs were sent to the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta for immediate testing.
Newberry Academy will be closed to students until Monday.
“Of the viruses sampled, two were type A, unsubtypable,” said Dr. Jerry Gibson, chief of DHEC’s Bureau of Disease Control.
Type A unsubtypable means the two "probable" cases fall under the type A flu category, but have subsections that haven't been classified before.
But because this is a new virus, DHEC says they assume the two “probable cases” with the unfamiliar subtype are the new swine flu virus.
The female student who tested “probable” had comparatively milder flu-like symptoms than the others that felt ill after returning from the Cancun trip, says Newberry Academy Headmaster Bob Dawkins.
Dawkins says the student is feeling better and had milder flu symptoms like headache, cough and respiratory issues, but is “not real sick.”
“She had one of the milder, if not the mildest, of cases,” Dawkins says. “So all the others had something else.”
Many of the others ended up in the emergency room, he says.
The young man who received the other “probable” swab is rumored to be a boyfriend of a student, "but I’m not aware of him ever dating anyone at our school, and in a small school you kind of know,” says Dawkins.
Dawkins heard that the infected man is not a student anywhere, but says he can't confirm the information.
The headmaster is awaiting more information from DHEC on when the school should re-open, and proper sanitation steps to clean the school. Dawkins has already received masks he ordered for the cleaning crew to wear while sanitizing the building.
Dawkins has welcomed calls from any family in the school who felt flu-like. So far, five households have called reporting symptoms, he says. One grandparent and one parent affiliated with the school have felt ill, too.
As DHEC awaits CDC results, other swabs within the original 22 are still being analyzed, says Beasley.
But the common-sense steps to prevent spreading and contracting the flu are the same for all, he says.
After all, he says, "the flu is still the flu."
Beasley recommends washing your hands frequently and coughing or sneezing into the crook of your arm to prevent the spread of germs.
And if you are feeling sick, stay home and avoid large crowds, says Beasley.
If flu-like symptoms worsen, see a doctor, DHEC advises.
“We expect that those who are sick to voluntarily isolate themselves for a short time, and those who were exposed should voluntarily quarantine themselves at home. DHEC will assure those in isolation will receive appropriate treatment," says Gibson. "These steps are asked not only to help exposed and infected citizens, but also to protect others from exposure and illness, and to prevent further spread. Isolation and quarantine are used to protect your family, friends and others from the virus.”
Health steps from the Center for Disease Control:
What You Can Do to Stay Healthy
There are everyday actions people can take to stay healthy.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
• If you get sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
Other swine flu notes:
-The swine flu virus is susceptible to the popular antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza.
-There is no vaccine against the swine flu currently and last year’s flu vaccine doesn't appear to provide protection against the strain.
-The swine flu, caused by type A influenza regularly causing outbreaks among pigs, is a swine respiratory disease. The virus can't be spread by eating pork meat or pork meat products.
-The virus doesn't normally infect humans though human interaction with swine flu has occurred after direct contact with infects animals.
-Swine flu symptoms are identical to regular season flu symptoms of fever, muscle aches, cough sore throat and occasional vomiting and diarrhea.
-Some expect the number of swine flu cases to increase and symptoms to intensify.
Story and photo courtesy of The Newberry Observer
Post a Comment
