Published: October 30, 2009 10:04 pm      

Reports of flu on the rise

CLINTON — No H1H1 hospitalizations have been reported in Clinton County, although 7 to 8 percent of the Clinton School District student population is suffering from flu-like symptoms, according to the latest reports.

Dar Fox, the nurse at Clinton High School, says she can’t tell if the H1N1 virus has caused an increase in student illness this year because seasonal flu symptoms typically cause an increase in illnesses every fall.

“I can only tell you that we have unconfirmed cases in the district,” she said. “We have 7 or 8 percent of the district population out with flu-like symptoms.”

Community Health Manager Julia Cullen with the Genesis Visiting Nurses Association said no deaths from the H1N1 virus have been reported in Clinton County. Cullen added that cases are only reported when they lead to hospitalization or death.

“There are many suspected cases in the county,” she said.

“We don’t know how many confirmed cases in the county because they don’t need to report it.”

Tom Parker, superintendent of the Camanche School District, said the district cannot pinpoint how many cases it’s had among students this year.

Parker added that the district makes public health reports when more than 10 percent of the student population is absent for illness.

“The only building that has gone over 10 percent for student illness this year is our middle school,” said Parker.

Parker said it’s impossible to tell whether the H1N1 virus is causing the absences.

Beth Fiorini, administrator of the Whiteside County Health Department, says the county has had about a dozen hospitalizations from the virus, with many unreported cases that have not been tested.

“This flu is at 7.7 percent in October, and I don’t know what the regular flu is, but I think it’s many times worse than the regular flu is this time of year,” she said. “ It’s everywhere. Our schools are about 15 percent absenteeism. The hospitals are overrun.”