NYU doesn't see large increase in flu cases

Since the start of the semester, the University of Pennsylvania has seen an average of approximately 100 H1N1 cases per week among its student body, and during the week of Nov. 1, the University of Connecticut saw 208 students who complained of flu-like symptoms.

But unlike many of the nation's college campuses this year, NYU is not experiencing a significant increase in flu cases amid the H1N1 epidemic, according to NYU spokesman James Devitt.

Last month, NYU had just over 250 cases of influenza-like illness. ILI is a categorization used in place of H1N1 because H1N1-specific tests are likely to be inaccurate and thus are not conducted at NYU, Devitt said.

He added: "The university treats all cases of ILI … with the seriousness it would treat swine flu."

According to Devitt, the number of ILI cases at NYU is lower than that of the national average. New York City's flu activity is also currently lower than the national average.

Marc Siegel is a clinical associate professor of medicine at the NYU School of Medicine. Siegel said one of the reasons New York is not experiencing heightened H1N1 activity is because there was a surge of the illness last spring when it initially surfaced.

Devitt said the NYU Student Health Center is currently offering H1N1 vaccines only to students under the age of 24 who have "specified underlying medical conditions," such as asthma. He added that the initial allotment of vaccines has mostly been used and that the center is waiting for more supplies.

Tisch freshman Jake Honig said he was treated for the flu at the health center and is certain he had the H1N1 strain. He said his experience at the center was positive.

"The doctor was excellent," Honig said. "He seemed very concerned. He almost seemed really sad that I had swine flu."

Honig said he was treated with Tamiflu, the medication most commonly given to H1N1 patients, and experienced some negative effects.

"I didn't know confusion was a side effect of Tamiflu," Honig said. "I thought I was losing my mind."

When he was diagnosed, Honig said his roommates stayed out of his room for the remainder of his illness so it would not spread. According to Devitt, students with ILI usually isolate themselves or go home.

Tisch sophomore Remy Germinario said he is careful about avoiding the flu, especially H1N1, partly because, as a theater major, he does not want to hurt his throat.

"I'm not necessarily afraid, just cautious," Germinario said. "I've heard it isn't as bad as everyone's hyping it up to be."