Don't Catch the Swine Flu

It may seem like H1N1 “swine” flu is taking over Harvard, as hand sanitizers pop up outside every elevator and more and more students are missing from section on account of their fever. As of last Friday, 200 Harvard students have gone to Harvard University Health Services with cases of influenza-like illness since the beginning of the semester, according to UHS Director David S. Rosenthal ’59. Last week, there were about 50 new cases.

But compared to Cornell, Harvard’s illness rates are looking positively cheery. See how other colleges are faring after the jump.

Cornell reported 623 cases of probable H1N1 flu slightly over a week ago, and one Cornell student died from complications related to H1N1.

Brown and Yale have also reported more probable H1N1 cases than Harvard. Brown's health services reported 234 cases of influenza-like illness as of last Wednesday, and over 300 Yale community members have contracted the H1N1 virus as of last Thursday.

But Princeton has emerged relatively unscathed so far–only 80 total students have contracted influenza-like illness as of a week ago.

Dartmouth seems to be right on pace with Harvard. They just started school because of their quarter system, but they diagnosed 47 new cases of influenza-like illness last week, only three fewer than Harvard. And if swine flu has advanced to the backwoods of Hanover, New Hampshire, all we at FlyBy can do is cross our fingers and use Harvard’s hand sanitizers.

Crimson Graphic