Thegatewaynews.com - Swine Flu case in Hudson

by Tim Troglen

Reporter

Hudson — The first case of H1N1 flu has been reported at the high school, Superintendent Steve Farnsworth said an e-connect phone message to parents Sept. 14.

“Like many other school districts we fully expected some of our students and teachers might experience this illness, so it is no surprise to have our first confirmed case of swine flu at the high school,” Farnsworth said in the message. “We are pleased to report that the student is feeling better.”

Classes were not canceled and schools are recommending students wash hands, cover mouths when coughing and sneezing and use hand sanitizer.

Communication Manager Sheryl Sheatzley said the case was confirmed by “a parent.” She said the parent called the high school as a courtesy to report the student had been to the doctor, who confirmed the case.

“We wanted to let parents know and the proactive steps they can take,” Sheatzley said.

The Summit County Board of Health did not confirm a case had been reported at Hudson High School when reached Sept. 14. However, it can take up to a week for cases to be reported to the Board of Health, said Carol Prunty, a communicable disease nurse there.

There have been no recently reported cases of children with the H1N1 virus reported to the county’s Board of Health, she said. Cases must be reported by doctors to the health department in the area where the person lives, according to Prunty.

The Centers for Disease Control does not recommend schools close “unless the daily operations of the buildings are severely impacted, according to the school’s Web site.

“In addition, parent notification of flu present in our schools is not required — however, we will continue to monitor any updates from the Center for Disease Control and make any changes that are necessary,” Farnsworth said in an Aug. 27 letter to parents.

“As a district we will continue to sanitize our school buildings during cleaning and emphasize hand washing and the use of hand sanitizers,” Farnsworth said, adding parents should keep students home when they are sick.

Farnsworth told parents that the district is waiting on word from the Summit County Health Department on the availability of the H1N1 vaccine.

“In the meantime, please consider getting a seasonal flu shot,” he said in the message.

Prunty advised residents to practice hand washing, respiratory hygiene when coughing or sneezing, and staying home when sick.

“We know it’s out there,” Prunty said. “And the best advice is to get a seasonal flu vaccine and practice good hand washing and etiquette.”

E-mail: ttroglen@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3146