Updated: Swine Flu Information

For additional information, visit the Hillborough County Health Department Web site.

TAMPA, Fla. (Updated Thursday, April 30 2009) -- As of April 30, 2009, the USF Education Abroad Office has not cancelled or delayed the departure of any of its study abroad programs. The office is monitoring the situation closely and will post updates as needed. For more information about how the swine flu is affecting USF's study abroad programs, click here.

As you may have heard, the United States declared a "public health emergency" on Sunday in response to the emerging new swine flu. While no cases of this swine flu have been identified in the state of Florida, as of Monday, April 27, there were 20 confirmed cases in five U.S. states: Kansas, California, Texas, New York and Ohio. The expectation is that cases in the United States will continue to grow as predicted by Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, during a press conference on Sunday in Washington, DC.

Although there have been reports of fatalities in Mexico attributed to this influenza, the cases in the United States have been relatively mild with full recovery at home in 3 to 4 days. Swine flu symptoms mimic other strains of influenza, typically fever, aches and upper respiratory symptoms, often with an abrupt onset. Treatment includes rest, fluids, fever reducers and typically an anti-viral medication such as Relenza or Tamiflu started in the first 48 hours of illness. These medications are available as a prescription through your health care provider.

USF Student Health Services encourages good health habits to prevent the spreading of flu. The most effective method of prevention is frequent and thorough hand washing or, if not feasible, the regular use of hand sanitizers. In addition, make it a habit not to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth except with a clean tissue. For more details on important habits to prevent spreading germs visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Web site. These tips are especially important during finals week as students often experience a reduction in sleep and an increase in stress which may cause some compromise to their immune systems.

Additionally, we have posted links to a variety of sources of information on this swine flu on the Student Health Services Web site. Please visit this Web site for more details and regular updates on this national health concern.

To register for Swine Flu updates from the Florida Department of Health:

http://www.doh.state.fl.us/DEMO/php/FluInfo.htm

Additional Swine Flu resources:

http://www.hillscountyhealth.org/

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/index.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/swineflu_you.htm

http://www2a.cdc.gov/podcasts/player.asp?f=11226

http://www.who.int/csr/don/en/

http://www.paper-clip.com/Media/Sites-administratorsSiteNavigation/swinefluHEstudent%20guide.pdf

sharff@admin.usf.edu