July 1, 2009
From: Drew Malloy, M.D., UCSC Medical Director
A 21 year old UCSC student residing off campus was seen and treated at the Student Health Center for the first confirmed case of H1N1 influenza involving a UCSC student.
The student was seen on 6/17/09 and treated with antiviral medication and the results confirmed by the California state lab on 6/30/09. The student had a complete and uneventful recovery and has returned to his hometown for the summer.
There have been 3 confirmed and 22 probable cases of H1N1 influenza in Santa Cruz County residents and no hospitalizations or deaths. In the State of California, there have been 1492 confirmed and probable cases and nationwide the total confirmed cases are 27,717.
We recommend continued awareness of this potentially serious illness and encourage any student with concerns to contact their medical provider. Testing for the H1N1 virus is no longer recommended unless one is ill enough to be hospitalized. The vast majority of healthy adults with the H1N1 influenza virus have an uneventful and complete recovery and do not require medical evaluation, testing or antiviral medication.
Individuals with underlying health problems and any person with severe symptoms should be evaluated by their medical provider. Students wishing to be seen at the Student Health Center may call 831-459-2500 for a same day appointment Monday through Friday. After hours, you may call the free Nurse Advice line at
1-800-977-0027.
After hours, students may seek medical care at one of several off campus urgent care clinics. Here is a link with contact numbers and directions to off campus medical facilities including urgent care centers open in the evening and weekends as well as the Dominican Hospital Emergency Department for severe illness. (The Dominican Hospital Emergency Department is open 24/7 but should be a last resort for those with severe symptoms who cannot safely wait to be seen in the Student Health Center or off campus urgent care clinics.)
