Officials from Boulder County Public Health today confirmed that a CU-Boulder student has tested positive for the Influenza A(H1N1) virus known as "swine flu."
The student was self-isolating and is recuperating. Boulder County Public Health medical personnel contacted his friends and residence hall neighbors and none have reported flu-like symptoms.
"We took strong containment measures with the individual in our residence halls and we do not feel at this time that there is any significant threat posed to the larger CU community by his testing positive," said Dr. Pamela Talley, lead physician for medical clinics at Wardenburg Health Center on the CU-Boulder campus.
Test results for two suspected cases are pending. A suspected case is one that has tested positive for influenza A, but it is unclear whether the illness is seasonal flu or A(H1N1).
CU residence hall students have been on alert for the last two weeks about the A(H1N1) virus. Students and residence hall employees have been following the infectious disease protocols and practicing good hygiene. As part of those protocols, CU housing and facilities management employees have also been doing extra cleaning in residence halls and common areas.
"It's important for everyone to recognize the real scope of this threat, which is minimal," said Talley. "The virus itself is behaving much like a seasonal flu virus in its impact on the general public and is not any more severe than a seasonal flu virus. We are proceeding with caution, however, as there is no immunity to the virus yet and no vaccine for it."
Talley said those at risk--pregnant women, people whose immune systems are compromised such as diabetics or people in treatment for cancer, or the parents of small children--should take precautions. Precautions include covering the nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing, frequent hand-washing with soap and warm water or an alcohol-based gel, and staying more than six feet away from people who may be coughing or sneezing.
"Basically, we are proceeding on campus with current health advisories and practices--there are no special or new considerations because of one confirmed test for A(H1N1)," said Talley.
CU officials on Monday announced that final examinations and commencement will go on as scheduled this week. Commencement will be held on Friday, May 8 at 8:30 a.m. in Folsom Stadium on the CU-Boulder campus.
Deborah Imel Nelson, emergency manager in CU-Boulder's Office of Environmental Health and Safety, said CU is taking precautions for the ceremony.
"At the stadium, alcohol based hand-gel and tissues will be available," said Nelson. "We are asking those who are actively sick with a fever and respiratory symptoms to not attend the ceremony. Also, it's a pretty big venue, so people can sit at some distance from others as an extra precaution."
Nelson said if people take these precautions "they are at no greater risk than being in any other large and populated public place."
