Flu Blog and Information from the Health Center
5/17/10
Last week the Health Center had contact with 0 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
5/10/10
Last week the Health Center had contact with 0 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
5/3/10
Last week the Health Center had contact with 0 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
4/26/10
Last week the Health Center had contact with 1 new WWU student with influenza-like illness.
4/19/10
Last week the Health Center had contact with 0 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
One WWU student contacted the consulting nurse during the week with complaints of influenza-like illness.
4/12/10
Last week the Health Center had contact with 1 new WWU student with influenza-like illness.
4/5/10
Last week the Health Center had contact with 1 new WWU student with influenza-like illness.
3/29/10
Last week the Health Center had contact with 0 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
3/22/10
Last week the Health Center had contact with 2 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
3/15/10
Last week the Health Center had contact with 3 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
3/8/10
Last week the Health Center had contact with 7 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
3/1/10
Last week the Health Center had contact with 5 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
One WWU student contacted the consulting nurse during the week with complaints of influenza-like illness.
2/22/10
Last week the Health Center had contact with 6 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
2/16/10
Last week the Health Center had contact with 8 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
2/8/10
Last week the Health Center had contact with 2 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
Over the weekend 2 WWU students contacted the consulting nurse with complaints of influenza-like illness.
2/1/10
Last week the Health Center had contact with 6 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
1/25/10
Last week the Health Center had contact with 6 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
1/19/10
Last week the Health Center had contact with 5 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
1/11/10
Last week the Health Center had contact with 0 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
Over the weekend 1 WWU student contacted the consulting nurse with complaints of influenza-like illness.
12/15/09
Last week the Health Center had contact with 5 new WWU students with influenza-like illness. The Health Center will be closed until January 4th.
12/7/09
On Wednesday through Friday the Health Center had contact with 5 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
12/2/09
On Tuesday the Health Center had contact with 2 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
Additionally, because of the low numbers we are going to start to report new influenza-like illness contacts weekly.
12/1/09
On Monday the Health Center had contact with 4 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
11/30/09
On Wednesday the Health Center had contact with 1 new WWU student with influenza-like illness.
There was 1 student who contacted the after-hours consulting nurse regarding an influenza-like illness over the long holiday weekend.
11/25/09
On Tuesday the Health Center had contact with 3 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
11/24/09
On Monday the Health Center had contact with 3 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
11/23/09
On Friday the Health Center had contact with 4 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
11/20/09
On Thursday the Health Center had contact with 2 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
11/19/09
On Wednesday the Health Center had contact with 2 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
11/18/09
On Tuesday the Health Center had contact with 4 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
11/17/09
On Monday the Health Center had contact with 4 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
11/16/09
On Friday the Health Center had contact with 3 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
11/13/09
On Thursday the Health Center had contact with 9 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
11/12/09
On Tuesday the Health Center had contact with 5 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
The Health Center was closed on Wednesday.
11/10/09
On Monday the Health Center had contact with 3 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
11/9/09
On Friday the Health Center had contact with 8 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
11/6/09
On Thursday the Health Center had contact with 7 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
11/5/09
On Wednesday the Health Center had contact with 9 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
Wednesday evening 1 WWU student contacted the consulting nurse with complaints of influenza-like illness.
11/4/09
On Tuesday the Health Center had contact with 8 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
11/3/09
On Monday the Health Center had contact with 3 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
11/2/09
On Friday the Health Center had contact with 6 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
10/30/09
On Thursday the Health Center had contact with 4 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
10/29/09
On Wednesday the Health Center had contact with 11 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
10/28/09
On Tuesday the Health Center had contact with 10 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
10/27/09
On Monday the Health Center had contact with 8 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
10/26/09
On Friday the Health Center had contact with 5 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
Over the weekend 1 WWU student contacted the consulting nurse with complaints of influenza-like illness.
10/22/09
On Thursday the Health Center had contact with 7 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
10/21/09
On Wednesday the Health Center had contact with 12 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
10/20/09
On Tuesday the Health Center had contact with 13 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
Tuesday night 1 WWU student contacted the consulting nurse with complaints of influenza-like illness.
10/19/09
On Monday the Health Center had contact with 17 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
Monday night 1 WWU student contacted the consulting nurse with complaints of influenza-like illness.
10/19/09
On Friday the Health Center had contact with 15 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
Over the weekend 1 WWU student contacted the consulting nurse with complaints of influenza-like illness.
10/16/09
On Thursday the Health Center had contact with 10 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
10/15/09
On Wednesday the Health Center had contact with 30 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
10/14/09
On Tuesday the Health Center had contact with 32 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
10/13/09
The final numbers for Monday have rolled in. On Monday the Health Center had contact with 34 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
10/12/09
On Friday the Health Center had contact with 8 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
Over the weekend 2 WWU students contacted the consulting nurse with complaints of influenza-like illness.
Both phone call and visit volume went up markedly today (Monday) for influenza like illness, with over 30 new cases of influenza like illness identified. Please be aware this means that routine visits to the health center for non-influenza related reasons may need to be postponed if not urgent. With the upcoming weather changes, and more time spent indoors, influenza numbers may increase, so please be very vigilant about hand washing, protecting your cough and sneezing.
We will be announcing H1N1 vaccination clinics soon, on our website and by email, as nasal spray vaccine for low risk individuals under age 25 will arrive to our clinic early next week. We will hold vaccination clinics in the Performing Arts Center, to keep healthy members of the campus community away from the Health Center as much as possible.
10/9/09
On Thursday the Health Center had contact with 9 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
10/8/09
On Wednesday the Health Center had contact with 11 new WWU students with influenza-like illness. Additionally there was 1 student seen in the community with ILI.
10/7/09
On Tuesday we had contact with 16 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
10/6/09
On Monday we had contact with 16 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
10/5/09
On Friday we had contact with 12 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
Over the weekend 3 WWU students contacted the consulting nurse with complaints of influenza-like illness.
10/2/09
On Thursday we had contact with 13 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
The Student Health Center will be closed Saturday and Sunday, as usual. You may call our consulting nurse 24 hours a day about any symptoms of concern at 1-800-607-5501. We will open Monday at 8:30 AM.
10/01/09
On Wednesday we had contact with 16 new WWU students with influenza-like illness.
9/30/09
Volume of both visits for all types of symptoms as well as phone calls rose markedly. We saw 120 students in clinic yesterday for all types of visits and had a total of 249 contacts with students (in person, phone, electronic messages). On Tuesday we had a total of 29 ILI contacts.
- Students seen in the clinic with influenza-like illness: 15
Students screened over the phone as having influenza-like illness but not seen: 14
Due to flu-like diagnosis now surpassing 10% of our visit volume and patient contact volume, we will have one provider seeing students for assessment of flu symptoms for the rest of this week, with the capacity to see up to 40 per day if needed. This may result in some delay in getting appointments for other routine non-urgent visits in the clinic, such as travel appointments and physicals. We appreciate your understanding while we shift our staff resources to the more urgent health care needs of our student population.
We have had a number of questions regarding the criteria we use for counting influenza like illness cases, as some students feel they have influenza, but are not being diagnosed with flu. The specific criteria from the Centers for Disease Control for diagnosing “Influenza-Like Illness (ILI)” is: fever greater than or equal to 100 degrees F, AND cough and/or sore throat (in the absence of a known cause other than influenza). We are seeing all the usual strep throats, mononucleosis, walking pneumonia cases we usually see in our population and although the symptoms may be “flu-like”, they have another explanation so are not included in the ILI numbers. In addition, we are seeing students with flu-like symptoms with no documented or described fever, so we cannot count them either, but they are diagnosed as having a “viral infection—nonspecific”. Some are very possibly H1N1 cases, as H1N1 has been confirmed across the world in a significant percentage of individuals with no documented fever. We are following the strict CDC criteria for counting and reporting purposes, so our numbers appear lower than may truly be the case. Regardless, any individual with respiratory symptoms that are clearly contagious is advised to remain out of class and work until they are symptomatically improved, since fever is not one of their symptoms.
9/29/09
On Monday the influenza like illness in WWU students totaled seventeen.
- Students seen with influenza-like illness in the clinic: 12
Students screened on the phone with ILI and not seen in clinic: 4
Students seen in the Emergency Room and released: 1
9/28/09
On Friday the influenza like illness in WWU students totaled seven.
- Students seen by a provider: 5
Students screened over the phone but not seen by a provider: 2
Over the weekend, one student contacted the consulting nurse with influenza like symptoms.
Our supply of seasonal flu vaccine is quite limited as we await our delayed next shipment. We still have doses reserved for students at high risk due to medical conditions, so those students should call 650-3400 for a vaccine appointment. Watch (our vaccine clinic page) for information about when further supply is available for the general campus community, or go to one of the Bellingham vaccine providers for your flu shot.
9/25/09
On Thursday there were several students reporting flu-like symptoms:
- Influenza-like illness screened over the phone: 4
Influenza-like illness seen in Student Health Center: 1
H1N1 is definitely in our community, so it is important to remember to observe all the prevention measures of keeping your distance from those who are ill, keeping your hands well washed and off your face, no sharing of drinks or cups. Seasonal flu shots are being given today at Campus Services Facility first floor from 10:30 to 2:30.
Have a healthy weekend!
9/24/09
On Wednesday, the Student Health Center continued with typical early quarter patient calls and visits. So far, the influenza-like illness we've seen has been mild.
On 9/23/09:
- Influenza-like illness screened over the phone: 1
Influenza-like illness seen by community provider: 1
Influenza-like illness seen in Student Health Center: 2
9/22/09
The Student Health Center had another routine day with one off campus student who called with influenza-like symptoms and is doing self care at home, and one student who was seen in clinic with influenza-like symptoms. There is no increase in after hours call volume or electronic messaging from students about flu symptoms. Keep up the good job of keeping your hands clean and your coughs covered!
9/21/09
The Student Health Center opened the 2009-2010 academic year with very typical first day light patient visit numbers, and only one case of mild influenza-like illness in a student who is choosing to return home to recover off campus. There have been no student calls to the triage nurse for flu-like symptoms or electronic communications from students with flu-like symptoms. This is a much better start than we anticipated, and suggests that awareness of prevention strategies may be making a difference. Continue that hand washing, get plenty of sleep and enjoy this beautiful weather!
We strongly recommend members of the campus community get their seasonal flu vaccine done now. Information about vaccination clinic times can be found at Flu Vaccination Clinics.
9/10/09
The Student Health Center will be opening on September 21st at 8:30am. Visit our Vaccination Clinics page for information on upcoming flu vaccine clinics offered starting in October.
Just Remember:
Resources:
Review of H1N1 Vaccine safety and effectiveness
Cold and Flu Self Care Remedies
What to do if you have symptoms
WWU Vaccination Clinic Information
http://www.em.whatcomcounty.org/go/site/2040/
