Apr 30, 2009 11:32 pm US/Eastern
'Probable' Swine Flu Closes Harvard Dental School
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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As a precaution, Harvards School of Dental Medicine will be closed Friday.
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A male student at Harvard's School of Dental Medicine is in isolation while he awaits results from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on whether he has the so-called swine flu. Harvard Health Director Dr. David Rosenthal says the student came down with flu last week.
"There was history that he had been associated with someone who had returned from Mexico," said Rosenthal.
Massachusetts and Boston health officials are now calling it a "probable" case of H1N1 influenza, also referred to as swine flu, because tests came back negative for what they call the "garden variety" flu strains seen more often.
As a precaution, Harvard has cancelled Friday classes at Harvard Dental School and has temporarily shut down the Harvard Dental Clinic, until they learn more from the CDC.
"The University made this decision in the best interest, until we're 100 percent that it is confirmed. A high percentage of the ones that were sent to the CDC in Atlanta turned out to be positive, so why wait any further," said Rosenthal.
As a precautionary measure, Friday classes are also cancelled at Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health. Food services at both schools have also eliminated self-service food stations and are handing out hand sanitizers.
City health officials are now conducting their own investigation.
"We have to interview a lot of people in order to ascertain how much contact there was and how much potential exposure and does anybody else have symptoms," said Boston Public Health Commission Director Dr. Barbara Ferrier. "These are students and one thing we have learned about this virus is that it tends to spread very rapidly in school settings."
Harvard officials say the student is recovering very well, and has not had any contact with patients at the clinic.
Boston Mayor Tom Menino is urging residents in the city not to panic, but to take the warning seriously. City officials plan to hand out informational leaflets in neighborhoods. The city has set up a hotline for anyone feeling flu-like symptoms: 617-635-4500.
OTHER MASS. CASES:
WBZ has learned there are at least two "probable" cases of swine flu at Amherst College. School officials say that number could be has high as six. Two students have tested positive for Type A Influenza at the college, and four other students have flu-like symptoms. Test results are pending.
There are
two confirmed cases of swine flu in Lowell and two
"probable cases" in Brockton. A Coast Guard member is also being tested for the virus.
Since two boys in Lowell became infected with the virus after returning from a trip to Mexico, no other residents have fallen ill. Health officials say those cases appear to be isolated.
Read: More Swine Flu Resources
There are currently more than 100 cases in the U.S., penetrating over a dozen states.
More Information Online...
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CDC Swine Flu Facts Sheet
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CDC Emergency Updates Via Twitter
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Swine Flu Twitter Live Search Results
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David Burnia's Swine Flu Watch On Twitter
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Google Map Of Suspected, Confirmed Cases
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