Swine flu arrives on campus

A postgraduate student has contracted swine flu, becoming the first
confirmed case on campus. It is understood the student recently returned
from an infected area.

The student has been given the antiviral drug Tamiflu, but has not been
hospitalised and appears to be making a good recovery. Their closest
contacts have also been issued with the drug as a precaution.

A spokeswoman for the Health Protection Agency, said that “All necessary
action had been taken.” She said students should “be aware of the
symptoms, but not be alarmed”, emphasising the hygiene message of the
NHS’s “Catch it, Bin it, Kill it” campaign.

When asked whether there was likely to be any further cases, she said, “We
don’t know, but all people who have been in contact [with the student]
have been tracked.”

The University declined to release information regarding the hall of
residence where the postgraduate is staying at the request of the student
and health officials.

Recent cases at schools have seen quick closures for fear of a rapid
spread of the virus. An outbreak at Welford Primary School in Birmingham
infected 41 students and three teachers before the half-term holiday. Eton
School remains closed until the 7th of June, after a student tested
positive for the virus.

However, the University has released a statement saying: “The current
situation requires no change to any aspect of the University’s normal
operations”.

Peter Dunn, Press Officer for the University, explained, “There is a
significant difference between a school which is usually a small group of
buildings where almost all the staff and students meet together at least
two points in the day and a University – especially one like Warwick which
is the size of a large town and which does not have such meetings of all
staff and students.”

When asked whether the close proximity of exam testing conditions would
induce any extra protective measures, Dunn said, “Local health
professionals are satisfied that the University has taken all necessary
precautions to contain this case.”

Since the first cases in Mexico at the end of April, swine flu has spread
rapidly around the world. As of the 4 June 2009, 66 countries have
officially reported 19,273 cases of swine flu, including 117 deaths. The
United Kingdom has seen 428 confirmed cases, with 112 in the West
Midlands.