Two more H1N1 infections at the uni

Fifteen English teachers (one of whom is Korean, by the way) and seven others get infected with H1N1 in Korea, and the ROK authorities institute a prison-like quarantine.

Contrast that with this esteemed institute here in Hawaii, where our first H1N1 infections (yeah, this was freaking out a lot of people) were met with a relatively blasé response. From two weeks ago:

A student living in a university residence hall has tested positive for H1N1 flu (swine flu). The student reported to the Student Health Services on Wednesday with flu-like symptoms and the test was today confirmed by the Hawaii State Department of Health. The student is recovering from what appears to be a mild illness.

Other students and staff members who have been in close contact with the student are being notified and will be evaluated. The affected areas of the student's residence hall are being disinfected. The student and two roommates, who are displaying symptoms of the illness, are being isolated in separate rooms.

Anyone who shows signs of flu-like illness contact the University Health Services at 956-8965. Symptoms of H1N1 virus include: sudden fever, coughing, sore threat, body aches and pains/fatigue.

The university president has said, "As everyone is aware, influenza is a current concern in Hawaii so all of us should follow good infection control practices, including avoiding others if you are sick with flu symptoms. That will help reduce the spread of the virus."

Health officials continue to stress the importance of following the recommended public health guidelines: cover your cough or sneeze, wash your hands often and do not come to work or school if you are sick.

There are currently no changes to university operations or activities and the campus is operating normally.

Rather than hauling them off to a medical facility for quarantine, apparently they were kept in the dorm. The very crowded dorm. But in separate rooms.

And then yesterday:

Over the past several days, two additional members of the university community have tested positive for H1N1 flu (swine flu) — a student and a staff employee. Both are recovering from mild forms of the illness.

Earlier this month, on May 8, H1N1 was confirmed in a university student, who has since fully recovered.

Anyone who shows signs of flu-like illness should contact the Student Health Services. Symptoms of H1N1 virus include: sudden fever, coughing, sore throat, body aches and pains/fatigue.

We continue to encourage everyone to follow good infection control practices, including avoiding others if you are sick with flu symptoms to help reduce the spread of the virus.

Cover your cough or sneeze, wash your hands often, and do not come to work or school if you are sick.

There are currently no changes to university operations or activities and the campus is operating normally.

I guess three infections out of some tens of thousands of students and faculty isn't so bad. But when we had someone in this dorm (home to 400 people) come down with meningitis, a deadly disease caused by viral or bacterial infection, university authorities seemed more concerned with privacy protection than providing information to the potentially infected. They just said that there was an infection, not in which units or when. When I called and asked about such details, I was told flat out that they couldn't give that information in order to protect the privacy of the infected individual.

Fortunately, we had only the one case. But with H1N1, there is the potential for many more. The timing is lucky, though: School is out for summer, and the dorms are mostly vacant.