8 swine flu cases reported in local schools

Published 12:00 am Friday, August 14, 2009

Swine flu has hit Vicksburg Warren schools, officials confirmed today.

Eight cases have been reported in seven schools, said Cindy Nash, Vicksburg Warren School District nurse coordinator.

The schools are:

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• One student at Bowmar Elementary

• One at Dana Road

• One at South Park Elementary

• Two at  Warrenton Elementary

• One at Sherman Avenue

• One at Vicksburg High School

• One at Warren Central High School.

A case at Beechwood Elementary was incorrectly reported to The Vicksburg Post Friday morning.

“We’ve had it since the beginning of school, and we knew we were going to get it,” Nash said. Vicksburg public schools opened Aug. 4.

“We’re monitoring it closely and following CDC guidelines in conjunction with those issued by the state board of education,” said Superintendent Dr. James Price.

Those guidelines call for teachers to be alert and take precautions, but not for school closures.

The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta signalled a global pandemic of the disease June 11, following diagnosis of cases in 70 different counties. Cases have been reported in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Nash said cases in Vicksburg have been mild.

“So far what we have seen is that the swine flu is very much like the normal flu except perhaps for the gastric problems — diarrhea and vomiting,” Nash said today. “Fortunately, we haven’t had any complications, and no hospitalizations.”

One of the Warrenton Elementary cases was actually diagnosed before school started, she said, and the child did not come to school. Another child, however, was playing with him, and later developed a fever and was diagnosed with the flu.

“We are just monitoring the other children (in their classrooms) as well as their siblings,” Nash added.

Schools are emphasizing proper and frequent hand-washing, cough etiquette and thorough cleaning of desks, counters and other classroom areas.

Tuesday, the Mississippi Department of Health reported that 369 Mississippi cases of H1N1 swine flu had been identified since May 15. The number includes only four from Warren County, and so it could increase by at least one when updated by the VWSD cases. More than 28,000 cases have been confirmed nationwide, with at least 436 deaths. The other cases have not been identified.

In late July, a child from a coast city in Jackson County was Mississippi’s only death from the illness.

A major CDC recommendation is for children with fever that may be flu to stay home, away from other children. “The main thing is to monitor your children,” Nash said. “If they are showing signs of any gastric problems, vomiting or diarrhea, or have a fever of 100 or more, keep them home.”

Other symptoms include cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.

Some doctors are prescribing an anti-viral medication which slows down the progress of the influenza virus, and the state health department states that doctors have good supplies of at least two such drugs.

As far as vaccinating against the illness, heading into the normal flu season many health officials are trying to determine a course for giving flu vaccines to school-age children and others at risk for the disease.

Complications of vaccinating school children include not just the numbers of children involved but also the need for parent permission and the advisability of having to give two or more vaccinations for the preventive measure to be effective.

In addition, anyone with allergies to eggs cannot receive the vaccination.

More information on swine flu can be found by visiting the MDOH Web site or the CDC site.

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Contact Pamela Hitchins at phitchins@vicksburgpost.com