Archive of H1N1 updates
Aug. 19, 2009
Yolo County flyer on H1N1 flu
The Yolo County Health Department has issued a printable flyer on the H1N1 flu, including tips for avoiding the flu, caring for yourself or others who are sick, and preventing the spread of the flu.
An English-language version of the flyer is available here. The flyer is also available in Spanish and Russian from the Yolo County Health Department.
Aug. 17, 2009
Davis community meeting on H1N1 flu set for Aug. 31
The Yolo County Health Department has added a Davis event to the list of community meetings on H1N1 influenza. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 31in the multipurpose room of Harper Junior High School in Davis.
Aug. 14, 2009
Letter to the campus community on H1N1 preparedness
The UC Davis administration issued this letter to the campus community on preparedness for H1N1 flu. The letter, published in the online version of Dateline and the Friday Update e-mail newsletter, contained links to resources (including this page) and general advice on avoiding the flu (as described elsewhere on this page).
A printable poster and a CDC brochure describing flu avoidance tips are available from the campus safety services website.
Aug. 14, 2009
Community meeting on H1N1 flu set
The Yolo County Health Department will hold a community meeting in Woodland on Thursday, Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. to discuss H1N1 Influenza and how members of the community can prepare and protect themselves from this new virus. This meeting will be held at the Woodland Community & Senior Center in meeting room. 2. The community center is located at 2001 East Street in Woodland.
To date, additional community meetings have been scheduled in the following communities:
- September 3 – Winters
- September 9 – Knights Landing
- September 10 – Madison
- September 14 – Zamora
- September 17 – Esparto
More information will follow on the specific meeting times and locations, as well as information regarding additional meetings in other Yolo County cities and communities as they become scheduled.
Yolo County Health Officer Dr. Joseph Iser would like to remind all Yolo County residents to take the following precautions to protect themselves from becoming ill:
- Wash your hands with soap and hot water to get rid of germs and to prevent the spread of disease. If you do not have soap and water, use a waterless hand gel with an alcohol base of at least 60%.
- Avoid kissing or shaking hands with people, and do not share food, drinks or utensils.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
- Get the vaccine for seasonal flu, and if you are in a risk group for H1N1, get that vaccine when it becomes available.
For more information, visit: www.yolocounty.org.
Aug. 11, 2009
H1N1 flu ruled out as cause of employee death
The Yolo County Coroner's office has ruled out H1N1 influenza as the cause of death of Jennifer Lee Zeka, a UC Davis employee who was found dead in her apartment Aug. 3. She had been reported to have had a flu-like illness.
A cause of death is pending, said Chief Deputy Coroner Robert LaBrash.
Aug. 4, 2009
Flu precautions urged following employee death
Jennifer Lee Zeka , 40, an administrative assistant at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, was found dead in her Woodland apartment Monday following a reported flu-like illness. The Yolo County Coroner is investigating the cause of death.
John Madigan, a professor of veterinary medicine, sent a letter Tuesday afternoon to veterinary hospital faculty, staff and students reminding them to follow basic health precautions during the current H1N1 pandemic.
"We do not have the facts in this case yet, but I wanted to issue a timely reminder that people should be alert to flu symptoms, contact their physician or student or employee health about possible preventive treatment if they become ill, and stay home if they are sick," Madigan said.
Madigan emphasized that his letter is "simply precautionary."
Zeka worked in client support services at the veterinary school's Large Animal Clinic for 14 years, according to Madigan.
The latest information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on what to do if you have flu symptoms, or feel that you may have been exposed to someone with the flu, is posted online at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/sick.htm.
In addition, the California Department of Public Health operates a toll-free H1N1 hotline from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The hotline number is (888) 865-0564.
UC Davis students who have flu symptoms should call their personal health care provider or the Student Health Center on campus at (530) 752-2300. The Student Health Center offers recorded information for students about H1N1 flu. In an emergency, students should call 911.
Faculty and staff who have flu symptoms should call their personal health care provider. In an emergency, they should call 911.
Information for UC Davis Medical Group patients is available at: http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/flu/forpatients.html
July 25, 2009
Summer Abroad student recovering from suspected H1N1 flu
A student participating in the UC Davis Summer Abroad Grand Tour program through France and Italy is recovering from a probable case of H1N1 flu.
The student received medical attention on Thursday, July 23, for flu symptoms, including a fever, while the group was visiting Les Houches in the French Alps. No hospitalization was required. None of the other students in the 30-member program have reported flu symptoms, according to Summer Abroad coordinator Kathy Cunningham.
All 30 students are expected to leave France tomorrow for Rome, the last stop on the tour. The annual Grand Tour is one of Summer Abroad's most popular programs. It begins in London and makes stops in Paris, the Alps and Rome. This year's Grand Tour began July 4 and ends Aug. 1.
The California Department of Public Health has an H1N1 hotline for people with questions about H1N1 influenza. The toll-free number is (888) 865-0564.
July 21, 2009
Parents notified of possible summer camp exposures
UC Davis notified 104 parents today that their children who participated in specific youth camps last week may have had contact with someone since confirmed as having the H1N1 flu.
Test results confirmed on Monday, July 20, that an individual who was involved in Campus Recreation Youth Programs had the H1N1 flu.
The individual is no longer involved in the youth programs and is recovering at home. The camps through which the children may have had contact with the individual concluded Friday.
Laura Hall, associate director of Campus Recreation, said the department continues to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines for controlling the spread of the H1N1 flu virus at camps.
The Yolo County Health Department has not advised any changes in operations, and camp programs will continue, she said.
"Through the use of common practices for prevention of disease transmission, we can continue to provide safe and fun programs," she said.
Campus Recreation learned of the confirmed case this morning and e-mailed parents today. "This flu is acting like the regular seasonal flu and staying home for seven days until symptoms resolve is the best way to recover quickly and to prevent the spread of the flu," the notice said.
Parents were provided with links to the Centers for Disease Control's guidelines on what to do if you get flu-like symptoms and advice on talking to children about the flu. Parents have also been invited to telephone or e-mail Hall for additional information.
"Thank you for entrusting us with the continued care of your children," Hall said in the notice. "Please feel confident that we are taking this issue seriously and are involving the appropriate campus officials."
Campus Recreation is about halfway through its summer season of youth camps for kindergarten through grade 8 students.
July 9, 2009
Kyoto quarantine lifted
The quarantine on 20 UC Davis students taking a "Summer Abroad" class in Japan has been lifted. They will resume their programmed activities on Friday, July 10.
July 8, 2009
Study abroad students in Argentina move to alternate classrooms
In Buenos Aires, Argentina, the government has advised universities to close as a preventative measure to control the spread of H1N1 flu. Classes for 29 UC Davis students in the programs "Evita, Maradona, Che Guevara: Latin American Icons" and "Music and Culture in Latin America" were relocated from the Universidad de la Empresa to a building about four bocks from their Microcentro neighborhood hotel. No UC Davis students have become sick with H1N1 flu.
The UC Davis instructors, Ana Peluffo and Pablo Ortiz, are continuing to hold classes, with minor interruptions — some museums are no longer offering guided tours. Both programs began July 1 and end July 29.
July 6, 2009
UC Davis students quarantined in Kyoto
Twenty UC Davis students studying in Japan have been confined to a Kyoto dormitory for a week as a precaution against the spread of the H1N1 influenza.
Students in the program “Community and Everyday Life in Japan” at Ryukoku University were quarantined on July 3 after a Japanese tutor was diagnosed with H1N1 influenza.
No UC Davis student has become sick with H1N1 flu (earlier called “swine flu”), and the quarantine is set to end on Friday, July 10.
The instructor, a senior lecturer emeritus at UC Davis, is holding classes; field trips and guest lectures are being rescheduled. The program began June 27 and ends July 26.
In Okazaki, Japan, students in another UC Davis program, “Japanese Popular Culture in Tradition,” have not been affected.
July 1, 2009
Student Health Services sees more cases, offers advice
Student Health Services today received confirmation of three more cases of students with H1N1 influenza, in addition to one case confirmed June 17. All three had mild or moderate illness and are recovering.
Although the traditional flu season has ended, H1N1 influenza continues to spread. Most cases are mild, like a typical 'flu, but some are more severe: one death has recently been reported in Sacramento county.
Student Health Services reminds everybody that there are simple steps that you can take to avoid getting sick.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs and viruses spread that way.
- Try to avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Symptoms of H1N1 influenza are similar to seasonal influenza and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have also reported diarrhea and vomiting.
If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, please contact your doctor or Student Health Services. If you are diagnosed with influenza, stay home and do not go to work or class, avoid public events and places, and do not take public transportation for 7 days. If you have persistent symptoms of illness contact your physician or the Student Health Services advice nurse, (530) 752-9649.
More information:
June 22, 2009
First Sacramento County H1N1 death reported
A 24-year-old Sacramento-area woman has died at UC Davis Medical Center after being hospitalized with the H1N1 flu virus, Sacramento County Public Health Officer Glennah Trochet, M.D. confirmed today.
The death occurred today, June 23. She is the first person in Sacramento County to die from the H1N1 virus and the ninth to die in California from H1N1 in 2009.
More information at the Sacramento County Public Health Department website.
June 18, 2009
UC Davis student recovering at home following H1N1 diagnosis
A UC Davis student has been confirmed as having had the influenza H1N1 virus or 'swine flu,' the Yolo County Health Department told the campus June 17.
The student, who lived off campus, has since recovered and returned to a hometown outside of the Greater Sacramento region, said Tom Ferguson, medical director of Student Health Services at UC Davis and a deputy health officer for the county.
Ferguson said the student came to the Cowell Student Health Center on June 11 for a regular medical appointment and, because of a high fever and other flu-like symptoms, was ushered to urgent care at the facility.
After testing positive for Influenza A, the student was transported to the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, Ferguson said. The student underwent further tests at the medical center and was treated there for two days, he said.
The Sacramento County Health Department confirmed today that the student had tested positive for the H1N1 flu virus and notified the Yolo County health department as the county of origin.
The Yolo County Health Department has not asked UC Davis to make any changes to its operations because of the case, Ferguson added.
May 29, 2009
Davis resident tests positive for H1N1
Yolo County Health Officer Dr. Joseph Iser confirmed that a Davis resident has tested positive for H1N1 influenza. The person has already recovered from the disease. Yolo county officials said that the person is not affiliated with UC Davis.
Dr. Iser urged local residents to continue to take simple precautions against infection, such as handwashing and covering coughs and sneezes. While flu-like illness appears to be declining nationally, cases may still occur over the summer, he said.
May 4, 2009
Suspected H1N1 cases found to be typical seasonal flu
Yolo County health officials announced Sunday afternoon that two influenza cases in the county, identified on Friday as possibly due to the H1N1 (swine flu) virus, were found on further testing to be typical seasonal flu.
Holmes Junior High School in Davis, which was set to close for two weeks beginning Monday due to one of the cases, will instead open normally.
Health officials continue to stress the importance of following the recommended public health guidelines — cover your cough or sneeze, wash your hands often and do not come to work or class if you are sick.
The California Department of Public Health has a public hotline to answer questions about the current outbreak of H1N1 influenza (swine flu). The number is (888) 865-0564. The hotline is operational Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on weekends from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Questions specifically about the response here on the UC Davis campus can be sent to prepare@ucdavis.edu. Common questions may be addressed in updates to the FAQ page.
Campus leaders continue to encourage the campus to prepare for all emergencies, including public health emergencies, by being familiar with your department emergency and continuity plans, and by developing personal preparedness plans for your families.
May 1, 2009
Yolo County health alert
The Yolo County Public Health Department has reported two probable cases of H1N1 influenza, one adult and one child, in the county. There are no changes to university operations at this time. Be familiar with the symptoms of influenza and practice simple precautions to prevent infection, as described below.
If you feel ill or think you have symptoms of influenza, do not come to work or to class. Stay home and contact your doctor or Student Health Services.
April 30, 2009
Letter to the UC Davis campus community regarding influenza virus A H1N1
There are no confirmed cases of "swine flu" (now called influenza A H1N1) in Yolo County.
There are currently no changes to university operations or activities and the campus is operating normally.
Any changes will be shared with the community. Please stay home if you are sick and take the same steps you would normally take to prevent colds or flu (see below).
Questions about the UC Davis response can be sent to prepare@ucdavis.edu.
April 27, 2009
Public health emergency declared
The federal government has declared a public health emergency as a result of several confirmed cases of swine flu in the United States. This declaration is described as "standard operating procedure" to free up federal resources to combat the virus. It is expected that more cases will be confirmed in the coming days. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also issued a travel advisory recommending individuals avoid all nonessential travel to Mexico.
As part of its comprehensive emergency program, UC Davis has for a number of years been actively preparing for the potential of a pandemic. Although the swine flu has not been declared a pandemic, UC Davis has plans and procedures in place to ensure an effective response. (See pandemic planning guides)
University leaders and personnel from health services and emergency management are actively monitoring the situation. Currently, there are no changes to university operations or activities as a result of swine flu.
The university encourages you to be aware of the symptoms of swine influenza and take steps to prevent infection.
Symptoms
Symptoms of swine influenza are similar to seasonal influenza and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have also reported diarrhea and vomiting.
If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, please contact your doctor or Student Health Services.
Healthy precautions
Public health authorities also recommend the following measures:
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs and viruses spread that way.
- Try to avoid close contact with people who are sick. Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
- If you get sick, the CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
More information:
Good health habits for preventing seasonal influenza
About UC Davis and the swine flu
- UC Davis experts in infectious diseases, veterinary sciences and other fields are sharing expertise with public health authorities and, through the news media, with the public.
- No UC Davis students are in Mexico with any UC education abroad programs.