A Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine resident was diagnosed by the Boston Public Health Commission with a ‘probable’ case of H1N1, or swine flu, according to a press release on the Goldman School website.’ The resident, who reported feeling sick April 28, awaits tests currently being analyzed at the Centers for Disease Control.
The diagnosed resident is believed to have had contact with 15 fellow residents, seven faculty members, three staff and 12 patients during the infectious period, all of whom were contacted and warned to be on alert for signs of any possible symptoms, Student Health Services Director David McBride told The Daily Free Press in an email.
In an April 27 email to the BU community,’ McBride said no reported cases had been found in Massachusetts or at Boston University.’ ‘
By press time however, there had been seven confirmed cases in Massachusetts and a total of 226 confirmed cases of swine flu in the United States, according to the CDC website.
McBride said one resident reported a sore throat and another, a cough, leading to the closure of the Post-Doctoral Orthodontic Clinic until May 8, according to the Goldman School website. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue, possible diarrhea and vomiting.
‘The clinic where this resident works is geographically isolated within the dental school building, not in a heavy traffic area,’ he said. ‘The resident had NO [sic] contact with any students on the [Charles River campus].’
The Charles River Campus is located nearly two miles away from the BU Medical Campus where the resident presented symptoms of the swine flu.
Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences senior Bethany Gentile said she was relieved to know BU was taking the necessary measures to ensure students their health.
‘It’s good that they are taking precautions,’ she said. ‘If there is a risk it’s nice to know they will make sure we stay safe.’
College of Arts and Sciences sophomore Kaitlyn Fernandez said the swine flu has not been taken seriously and the timing of its detection at BU is unfortunate.
‘It doesn’t even seem all that real,’ she said. ‘People have almost been joking about it, instead of taking it seriously. I think it comes at a pretty inopportune time being as it is finals.’
College of Communication junior Kati McKinney said swine flu is like any other outbreak.
‘I think it is like any other mini-epidemic, like mad cow,’ she said. ‘It’s going to be okay as long as you keep yourself healthy.’
According to The New York Times, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano predicted the World Health Organization might raise its flu alert from Level 5 to the highest Level 6, this week, though she stressed it is not cause for grave concern.
‘It would indicate that the current flu strain has reached pandemic status, but there can be a pandemic of a mild disease, and this strain is looking milder than first thought,’ according to the article.
McBride urged students with mild illnesses to remain their rooms.
‘Leaving your room for mild illness unnecessarily exposes fellow students and others around the University to infections, regular colds or otherwise,’ he said. ‘In addition, faculty should not require ill students to leave their rooms to get documentation of illness.’
McBride said he has not seen an outbreak such as the swine flu in the past.
‘Nothing like this has happened in the three years I have been at BU,’ he said.
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