A 20-year-old student at Cornell University died two weeks ago from complications related to the H1N1 influenza virus.
Warren Schor, who was a junior at Cornell, died at Cayuga Medical Center at Ithaca on Sept. 11, 2009. Another 623 Cornell students have been diagnosed with influenza-like symptoms over the past three weeks.
Cornell is located approximately 50 miles away, or about an hour by car, from Binghamton University. Neither the Binghamton University nor Broome County Health Department have issued a travel advisory.
Despite the close proximity of the two schools, Dr. Michael Leonard, medical director for Binghamton University’s Health Services is confident that BU is prepared to handle an outbreak of H1N1.
“Binghamton already had a set of pandemic process guidelines in place before the spring outbreak of novel influenza H1N1 and was able to quickly assemble its Incident Management Team (IMT),” he said.
The IMT has established University plans and responses for different levels of possible exposure. These responses include having appropriate supplies available and implementing an educational campaign that promotes good health habits and plans for large events, such as commencement.
As a state agency, Binghamton follows both New York state’s public health response guidelines as well as the Broome County Health Department’s policies.
BU students who feel ill can arrange an appointment with University Health Services, and are encouraged to do so, Leonard said, especially if they are in a risk category for developing complications.
According to a letter from Cornell President David Skorton on the school’s Web site, while most Cornell students who have contracted the disease experience minor symptoms, there is a potential for serious complications if a person has pre-existing medical conditions.
“The hospital had not disclosed whether Warren Schor ‘11 had an underlying medical condition,” states to a report from The Cornell Daily Sun, the school’s student newspaper.
Claudia Wheatley, director of Cornell’s Press Relations Office, stated that the school has been emphasizing illness prevention.
Students have been encouraged to wash their hands frequently, clean shared surfaces and not to share food, drinks or eating utensils, she said.
Most of the 623 students diagnosed with an influenza-like illness have recovered and are now attending classes as usual, Wheatley added.
“Since the start of the semester, most cases have been relatively mild and people have recovered on their own,” said Simeon Moss, Cornell’s Communication Manager.
Following the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control, Cornell has not moved sick or healthy students from their normal residences, Wheatley said. Residence halls have been supplied with soup, tea, crackers and flu kits.
According to Wheatley, residence advisers have undergone training in order to deal with sick students.
During a press conference with college reporters Friday afternoon, Health and Human Services secretary Kathleen Sebelius said that school officials should arrange for alternate housing options and food delivery methods for students who show symptoms of H1N1.
She also said that outbreaks of the virus at colleges across the country should be handled on an individual basis.
Information regarding updates, and resources relating to the H1N1 influenza at BU can be found at www2.binghamton.edu/news/updates/index.html.