Apr 28, 2009 10:39 pm US/Central
Indiana Swine Flu Patient A Student At Notre Dame
State Authorities: Patient Is 'Doing Well' And Responding To Treatment
INDIANAPOLIS (CBS) ―
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Josep Lago/Hoang Dinh Nam/STR/AFP/Getty Images
The person who contracted swine flu in northern Indiana is a student at Notre Dame University in South Bend, officials said Tuesday.
CBS 2's Derrick Blakley reports the student who was infected in Indiana was a 22-year-old student.
At this point the university is releasing almost no details about the student. It is unknown if the student is male or female, an undergraduate or graduate student, or whether the student lived on campus or off.
They are trying to locate everyone who might have had close contact with the student to warn them and for their safety.
The student is reportedly doing well and responding to treatment.
By Tuesday afternoon the university e-mailed notice of the flu case to most of the student body, but many of the students CBS 2 spoke with were unaware that the swine flu had struck quite so close.
The university says the student sought treatment April 22 at the student health center, then a culture was sent to the Indiana Health Department. That is normal procedure. The university was told April 24 that the sample was atypical for Influenza A, meaning it could be swine flu.
That was confirmed Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, where the sample was sent for further testing.
More Information Online...
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CDC Swine Flu Facts Sheet
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CDC Emergency Updates Via Twitter
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Swine Flu Twitter Live Search Results
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David Burnia's Swine Flu Watch On Twitter
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Flu Tracker Map Of Suspected, Confirmed Cases
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Cook County Department Of Public Health On Swine Flu
CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine reports that finding the infected student among 10,000 others on campus, in dining halls, in dorms and off-campus housing, and in classrooms is like finding a needle in a haystack and university officials weren't much help; except to tell us the student was treated and recovered before they realized this wasn't your garden variety flu.
No other cases have surfaced, but one Notre Dame professor specializing in viruses says that doesn't signify an all clear.
"They'll go to the hall where the student was living, they'll try and find out if anybody else is getting ill," said Dr. Malcolm Fraser. "If those people are getting ill, then they'll try to isolate them. Try to stay ahead of the curve, they can't really stay too far ahead of the curve because people are actually going to be contagious, about one or two days before they exhibit any symptoms."
Rachel Meyer, spokeswoman for the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, said the person had not traveled to Mexico recently. "We are, at this point, trying to determine how they did contract this type of influenza," she said.
"What we're really encouraging everyone to do is practice normal preventative measures, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, throw that tissue away when you're done, wash your hands often with soap and water, use a hand sanitizer, avoid close contact with people who are sick, and if you are sick, stay home from work or school," Meyer said.
It is not known how many people the infected patient has come into contact, Meyer said.
At 8 a.m. on Tuesday the Department of Health implemented its emergency operation facility.
This makes a total of
65 cases of swine flu reported so far in the United States.
None have yet been reported in Illinois.
On the Notre Dame campus reaction from students ranged from mild alarm to almost a complete lack of concern.
"Obviously if it's a Notre Dame student that means it's closer to here and it makes it more real," said student Ginny Varraveto.
"We don't know where the student came from, if it was a boy or girl, we're sort of left with no information," said Kristen Dold. "I guess they're trying to protect whoever it is that caught it, but most of us would like to know which dorm to avoid, where are these germs lingering."
"My mom and dad's been calling and freaking out," said student Darius Fleming. "I didn't even really know it was here until they called me."
"Maybe a little disconcerting because it's been in the news a lot, but I'm not really too worried about it right now," said student Mike Magill. "You just gotta do the same kind of precautions you always do."
"I think I'm pretty good about keeping myself healthy, like washing my hands and being hygienic, so I don't really think I have to worry about that," said student Erin Dobberton.
"I researched it, it doesn't seem to be that big of a deal," said student Mary Kay Roohan.
The first swine flu case to hit the Midwest, state health officials say, calls for drastic measures.
"Starting today, I recommend that Indiana stop shaking hands," said Dr. Judith Moore. "We need to start something else, maybe need to bow to one another or bump elbows."
That may be a little extreme. But only time will tell whether swine flu at Notre Dame is the start of something big, or a big bust.
CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine, CBS 2' Derrick Blakley and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
(CBS 2 and the Post-Tribune are news partners covering stories in the communities of northwest Indiana. Send story tips to tips@cbs2chicago.com. (© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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