Sai Devana was quick to lend a helping hand when several of his floormates on Sproul Hall 5 South inexplicably began vomiting late Monday night.

“All of a sudden, I saw people throwing up,” Devana said. “I heard a lot of people getting sick in the bathroom, and I tried to help out by getting them trash bags and taking care of them.”

The second-year molecular, cell and developmental biology student said he turned in early after a tiring night, only to wake up at 5 a.m. with severe stomach pains.

“The most prevalent symptom has been constant vomiting,” said Sproul Hall 5 South resident Anna Alexandroni, a fourth-year political science student.

Gastroenteritis is a mild illness that should pass in a couple days for most people, said Susan Quillan, chief of clinical services at the Ashe Center.

“Gastroenteritis is contagious, so if we contain the outbreak now, hopefully we won’t have to resort to other measures,” Quillan said.

The virus is spread through contaminated surfaces or food, according to the Mayo Clinic website.

While Devana said that side effects of the flu ranged in severity, six of the infected Sproul Hall residents have had to go to the emergency room due to extreme dehydration and nausea.

Alexandroni confirmed that emergency medical technicians came to check for bacterial breeding grounds in the hall sometime on Tuesday. she said common areas in the hall, such as the elevator and lounge, were being sanitized multiple times a day to help prevent spread of the outbreak. The Ashe Center was also being cleaned constantly throughout the day, Quillan said.

“No one is being evacuated, but residents do have the option to leave for home if they live nearby,” Alexandroni said.

Quillan encouraged those with stomach flu to go home if they can, as it will help prevent infecting others.

The Ashe Center cautions students to practice proper hygiene, as that is the most effective preventive measure that can be taken in these circumstances. They also suggest cleaning infected surfaces and washing laundry thoroughly. Students who are concerned that they may have the disease should watch out for symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pain.

Students covered by an outside health insurance agency are charged a $12 co-pay per visit to the Ashe Center.

Quillan also said the Ashe Center would absorb the costs for any lab tests students may be asked to take, and all students can generate doctor’s notes through the Ashe website under “verification of illness and disability.”

The center is working with the Occupational Health Facility to ensure UCLA staff will be taken care of if the outbreak spreads beyond the student population, Quillan said.

Students can also find phone assistance by calling the Ashe Center at 310-825-4073. They can contact the Nurseline after regular business hours at 866- 704-9660.

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Tallahassee, FL – The flu has hit Tallahassee with full force. Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare reports that it has seen a dramatic increase in visits of patients with flu-like symptoms to the Urgent Care Center and the Bixler Emergency Center during the last week.

To help people understand how to treat the flu and when to seek medical attention, Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare shares the following information from the Center for Disease Control.

According to the Center for Disease Control, if you get sick with flu-like symptoms, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people except to get medical care. Most people with the flu have mild illness and do not need medical care or antiviral drugs.

However, some people are more likely to get flu complications (for example young children, people 65 and older, people with asthma, diabetes or women who are pregnant) and they should talk to a health care provider about whether they need to be examined if they get flu symptoms. also, it’s possible for healthy people to develop severe illness from the flu so anyone concerned about their illness should consult a health care provider.

There are emergency warning signs. Anyone who has them should get medical care right away.

In children, emergency warning signs include the following:

Fast breathing or trouble breathing Bluish skin color Not drinking enough fluids Not waking up or not interacting Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough Fever with a rash

In addition to the signs above, get medical help right away for any infant who has any of these signs:

Being unable to eat Has trouble breathing Has no tears when crying Significantly fewer wet diapers than normal

In adults, emergency warning signs include the following:

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen Sudden dizziness Confusion Severe or persistent vomiting Flu–like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough

If you become sick with the flu, the CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other things you have to do and no one else can do for you. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine, such as Tylenol®.) you should stay home from work, school, travel, shopping, social events, and public gatherings.

While you are sick, stay away from others as much as possible to keep from making them sick. If you must leave home, for example to get medical care, wear a facemask if you have one, or cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue. and wash your hands often to keep from spreading flu to others.

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Posted by: yep Location: tally on Jan 27, 2011 at 09:01 AM Flu season hits Tallahasse? it never left from last year! Posted by: catlover on Jan 26, 2011 at 09:22 PM What were the “Flu like symptoms”??