It’s been several months since the uproar about the new H1N1 flu virus, and fortunately, it looks as if things have taken a turn for the better. The number of H1N1 cases nationwide has drastically reduced since H1N1 pandemic was declared on June 11, 2009.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web site, there have been 40,805 hospitalizations and 2,009 deaths as a result of influenza-like illnesses (ILI) since Aug. 30, 2009. National cases of H1N1 have continued to decrease over the past few months and though Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Arizona, California, Hawaii and Nevada have reported increased numbers of ILI in the past week, no states are currently experiencing widespread ILI. Only Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and South Carolina have reported regional ILI activity with ILI cases remaining at the local level in all other states.

Rita Cenname, manager of the University Health and Wellness Center (UHWS), said that although the number of possible H1N1 cases was not high to begin with, they have also decreased as the months have continued. Cenname explained that most H1N1 cases at CNU were not confirmed, as the only way to have a confirmed case of H1N1 was to have it tested in the state lab.

“In lieu of that,” said Cenname, “what the CDC and Peninsula Health Department advised for us was to do clinical diagnoses. The nurse practitioners would look at the symptoms that a student had and if they fit the criteria set forth by the CDC for H1N1, we would do a rapid flu test, which would indicate whether or not a student had a positive Type A flu. That could be H1N1, but not necessarily.”

Cenname also explained that although the UHWS used clinical diagnoses to diagnose students with possible cases of H1N1, there were not very many cases on campus. “During the fall there were a lot of students that came in with all of the typical things that we see in the fall,” said Cenname. “There were a lot of viral illnesses and there certainly were a lot of students who fit the criteria for having symptoms of H1N1, but they didn’t all come into the clinic. The protocol on campus was to follow the CDC’s recommendation that students stay self-isolated and our students really did a good job of trying to self-isolate and prevent the contagion of the illness.”

Junior Emily Williamson dealt with a mild case of H1N1 in the fall, and spent a few days away from the university to prevent other students from catching her illness. “I wasn’t technically diagnosed with it,” said Williamson, “but my mother, who is a nurse, said I might have a mild case. I e-mailed all of my teachers about my condition and missed three days of school during which I basically slept all day and barely ate anything.”

Though H1N1 seems to be only a minor concern as of late, Cenname still recommends that students take precautions and follow all guidelines set forth by the CDC. “Not just with H1N1, but with any contagious illness, you want to do everything you can to contain it,” she said. “Otherwise, in an environment like this where people are living together, it can go through a residence hall or classroom and snowball and then everybody’s sick.”

Students are also encouraged to continue following the self-isolation protocols set forth by the CDC and the university last semester. “If you have symptoms of H1N1, we want you to notify your professors, notify your hall directors if you live on campus, and call the clinic so we can go over your symptoms and talk to you about home treatment,” said Cenname. “Another very important piece to watch for is whether or not your symptoms start to improve and if they get significantly worse. If so, we want to see you or have you go to a medical facility, especially if you have any difficulty breathing.”

For the most recent information about H1N1 or any other safety or health updates, students can go to cnualert.info.