<p>According to an e-mail sent out to students last Friday (after the article weas published on Tuesday), there have altogether been 44 cases and they have all been mild:
"To: The Brandeis Student Community</p>
<p>From: Rick Sawyer, VP for Student Affairs and Dean of Student Life </p>
<p>Flu Status Update - September 18, 2009 </p>
<p>Since the start of the school year, we have had 44 cases of Influenza Like Illness (ILI) reported by the Brandeis Health Center. The flu we have experienced is fairly mild. Students diagnosed with the flu have been ‘sick’ for about 4-5 days. The illness has included fever, cough, sore throat and upper respiratory congestion. The treatment has been rest, fever reduction medication, food and water. </p>
<p>As of noon on September 18, twenty-one students have been medically cleared to return to class. Twenty-three students remain under care.</p>
<p>Several sick students went home or off campus during their illness. The majority of the sick students remained in their own beds during their illness. There have been a handful of flu students who live off campus. Nearly all of them remained in their off-campus bed during their illness.</p>
<p>Sick students who share rooms with other students were cared for in place because it is the most prudent and recommended choice. In all cases of shared rooms, the roommates were temporarily relocated to empty beds in the Faculty Lodge and in some cases to empty beds elsewhere in their residence hall. In a couple of cases the roommates were offered bed space by friends. It has been the cooperation and understanding of roommates and the offers of housing from friends that has made this difficult management experience somewhat easier.</p>
<p>Many students took advantage of the seasonal flu vaccine program made available earlier this week at the Health Center. That vaccine is ‘seasonal flu’ vaccine and is designed to combat the annual flu season we experience in the winter. We are expecting to receive the H1N1 vaccine soon. When it arrives, students will be notified and instructions given as to how to access the vaccine. </p>
<p>Please continue to practice the very simple and basic recommendations to help the community control the spread of flu. Wash your hands often. If you feel sick, find out if you have flu symptoms (take your temperature and contact the Health Center). </p>
<p>Should the flu activity on campus ‘spike’, we are prepared to exercise additional planned options. So that there are no surprises, students who currently occupy suites or apartments where there is an empty bed may be asked to ‘host’ a roommate of an ill student temporarily. We have a very caring culture on this campus, and I thank you in advance for your understanding.</p>
<p>A lot of us will be traveling in the coming days. It is recommended that a student who becomes ill while home remain there until he or she has recovered. Please contact the Health Center to report your illness.</p>
<p>In order to review additional H1N1 information, continue to consult the Health Center website at [Health</a> Center | Brandeis University](<a href=“http://www.brandeis.edu/studentaffairs/health]Health”>Student Health Center | Brandeis University).</p>
<p>Many staff members in the Health Center, in Community Living and in Facilities have been working days, nights and weekends to manage this ‘Fall of Flu’. I thank all of them for their support and hard work."</p>