Swine flu confirmed at another Southeast Missouri school district

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff School District student has tested positive for the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu.

The high school student was treated with antiviral drugs and recovered without hospitalization, said Butler County Health Department nurse Sherri Dodson. A private lab confirmed Thursday the virus was

H1N1.

The district sent information home to parents Friday, superintendent Ernie Lawson said.

Attendance levels are normal and the school routine will continue, with the district stepping up preventive measures, he said.

"The worst thing that can happen is for people to panic because of rumors," Lawson said. "We have been in contact with the health department and will do everything we can to slow down the virus. We have the kids' safety at heart. We are not going to put anybody in danger."

The district placed hand sanitizer in the hallways outside cafeterias before school started and has been working to isolate children who seem sick, according to

Lawson.

The student who was sick had a mild case of the virus, Dodson said.

Vaccines expected

Vaccines for H1N1 are expected to be distributed in the coming months, Dodson said. The health department has not been told how many will be provided for this area or what target population will receive the

vaccines.

The health department will continue to be in contact with school districts and make sure the proper plans are in place, she said.

"What people need to remember is [to] do hand washing, cover their cough and sneeze, get treatment when they are sick and stay home," Dodson

said.

Health officials say anyone who is sick should stay home until they have been fever free without the help of medication for 24 hours.

Missouri has had about 90 lab-confirmed cases of H1N1, according the most recent statistics from Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

The majority of the more than 43,000 confirmed H1N1 illnesses in the United States before July 24 have been mild and uncomplicated, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. The CDC is no longer counting individual cases, it said, because not all people who are sick seek medical care or have specimens collected by their health care provider.

Specific testing for H1N1 continues at private labs by doctors' requests. Between 98 and 99 percent of people who test positive for Influenza Type A also test positive for H1N1, according to the CDC. Those who test positive for Type A are typically assumed to have H1N1.