As of June 26, seventeen confirmed cases and more than 20 suspected cases of the new H1N1 flu virus have been reported on campus, University officials said.
The cases of the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu, emerged from seasonal camp employees and students participating in on-campus summer programs, including Duke's Talent Identification Program, the American Dance Festival and youth summer science and writing camps. All affected programs are located on East Campus and the virus has not yet spread to West Campus, said Dr. Bill Purdy, executive director of Student Health.
University officials said the cases are mild and similar to the seasonal flu.
"We're very fortunate that all the cases we've had in our vicinity are relatively mild-milder than the traditional flu," said Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta. "What we need to do in particular is not generate any hysteria because this flu itself as it has manifested is a mild strain."
Duke is also working closely with the Durham County Public Health Department and Duke's infectious disease specialist to discuss protocols on how to handle the situation. Students, faculty and staff have not been officially alerted of the swine flu outbreak on campus because the chances of contracting swine flu are low, unless someone comes in direct contact with an infected person, said Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations.
"Influenza at summer camps is not unusual. It happens every year with young students or campers for various programs," he said. "But monitoring health is a high priority because it's clear that this was more significant than just the regular flu."
Student Health has stopped testing students for the H1N1 virus if they exhibit flu-like symptoms, Purdy said.
"The word is, if anyone comes in and has the flu, it's not the season that anyone would have the flu, so it's most likely that they have the H1N1 flu," he said.
The University has been preparing to combat swine flu for several months and discussions on how to handle the situation will continue, Moneta said. He added that the next step is to anticipate who may be affected on campus, formulate appropriate communications systems and consider how the outbreak may affect campus when students return in the Fall.
Students on campus are advised to wash their hands frequently, not share drinks with each other and cover their mouths with their sleeves if coughing.
"On the outside, [the situation] seems fairly simple [to take care of]," Purdy said. "But it's actually very complex with so many kids on campus, so many programs, everyone from across the country. So that makes it very, very difficult."
Gayle Harris, director of the Durham County Public Health Department, could not be reached for comment Friday.
The first case of swine flu that arose on campus was brought to Student Health's attention June 15, Purdy said, but this was not the first instance of the flu at Duke this summer. Two campers arrived on campus carrying the strain and were sent home immediately.
If diagnosed, an infected person must be quarantined for seven days. Diagnosed students were required to go home immediately, but if a parent was unable to arrive in 24 hours, they were moved into Giles dormitory on East. According to the CDC Web site, the virus can only survive on surfaces for a maximum of eight hours after they are deposited there, so the dormitory will be safe to inhabit in the Fall, officials said.
Purdy said the University is handling the situation in compliance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which suggest identifying the virus early, staying away from others if infected and practicing good hygiene.
In efforts to contain the spread of the virus, University officials decided June 26 to indefinitely close Brodie Gym to all students, faculty, staff and community members except ADF participants, said Soren Nelson, assistant director of recreational facilities. The facility will reopen when officials deem it appropriate, said Deputy Director of Athletics Chris Kennedy.
The self-serve salad bar in The Marketplace has also been removed to lower the risk of transmitting the virus.
Students checking in to camps this week will be required to be briefly examined by medical personnel to test for signs of illness, Kennedy said. He added that staff at the Wilson Recreation Center on West are also taking extra precautions to clean equipment after use.
"We're trying to keep things as normal as possible," Kennedy said. "That means instead of telling campers they can't come, coming up with other measures to make sure it's a safe environment."
TIP and ADF officials declined to comment Friday, forwarding all inquiries to Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations.
The first case of swine flu in Durham was confirmed May 23. As of June 24, there were 179 confirmed cases of swine flu in North Carolina, according to numbers compiled by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
The Duke in Mexico study abroad program was canceled in May when the International Travel Oversight Committee placed Mexico on its restricted regions list as a result of the swine flu outbreak in the country. The program was relocated to Duke's campus.
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