The H1N1 virus is circulating through the United States, and indeed worldwide, and it is expected that the virus is already circulating in Pennsylvania as well.

We understand your concern for your son or daughter, and through this website, we will try to provide you with the most accurate information on flu infections at The University of Scranton. While we will continue to report any confirmed H1N1 cases on campus, you should know that because of the nature of this epidemic, many, if not most cases will not be laboratory confirmed specifically as H1N1.  As a result, we will report the incidence of influenza like illness (ILI), which is a more accurate representation of any outbreaks on campus.

The University of Scranton Student Health Services (SHS) is participating in the American College Health Association (ACHA) Pandemic Flu Surveillance Project.  Participating institutions will make weekly reports regarding numbers of students with ILI.  SHS will also be enrolled as a sentinel site for the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and we will be collecting specimens for testing according to protocol established by the CDC.  These tracking mechanisms will help to determine the prevalence and severity of illness on campus.

Please remind your son or daughter that there are resources available at The University of Scranton for information on H1N1 flu and that they should know the symptoms of flu.  We will advise students with flu-like symptomes on an individual basis.  We may advise some students to return home for family care if they live within a reasonable distance and if they have safe transportation.   (Students should not use public transportation if they have flu-like illness.) 

Additionally, students with flu-like illness who also have underlying chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes or asthma, or may be pregnant, or have compromised immune systems, should seek immediate medical advice.  Such individuals may require additional care, including in some cases, hospitalization, as they are at higher risk of serious complications from influenza.

The CDC recommends that you seek immediate medical attention if you experience:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomenSudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough