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Flu Epidemic Hinted In Illness Rise

Students Seek Closing,
Await Decision Today

By Stefan Lopatkiewicz
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

D. Alan Williams, Dean of
Student Affairs, will announce this
afternoon whether or not the
University will close early for the
holiday season due to an epidemic
of Hong Kong flu.

The announcement will be made
following a study which is being
conducted by the Department of
Student Health to determine the
nature and intensity of illnesses
which are being reported by
students. No time has been set for
the announcement.

Andrew D. Hart, director of
Student Health, said yesterday that
his department would continue
studying cultures yesterday evening
and this morning taken from
students reporting sick.

Out Of Hand

A number of students told The
Cavalier Daily yesterday they felt
the University should be closed
down before a potential epidemic
gets out of hand.

Rumors circulated yesterday
that the Hong Kong flu was already
running "rampant" in several
dormitories, especially in the
McCormick Road buildings.

WUVA radio station reported to
The Cavalier Daily that it was
receiving complaints from first-year
students that they had to wait three
hours in line for treatment at
Student Health.

Unusual Number

According to Dr. Hart, by late
yesterday afternoon there were
more students than usual reporting
to Student Health, but that the
nature of their complain had not
yet been diagnosed. He said the
usual Monday turnout of students
runs about 135 cases. He added that
he believes many of the students
were suffering from "colds."

Student health hours were
extended yesterday in order that
the unusually large number of
students reporting could be taken
care of.

Circulated Rumor

Mr. Williams described word
that the University would close its
doors prior to this Friday as "a
rumor that's been circulated widely
since other colleges in the area shut
down."

"As of right now, the University
does not plan to shut down,
certainly not be tomorrow," he
said.

He did add, however, that
absenteeism had significantly
affected areas of the University,
probably as a result of the Hong
Kong strain of flu. The attendance
at some schools of the University
are "not so good," while "some
faculty staffs have been hit pretty
hard," he said. He noted, however,
that the attendance in other schools
and departments of the University
have remained normal.

Illness Intensity

"We are trying now to get a
reading to indicate what the
intensity of the illness is," he said,
"To determine whether or not we
should shut down."

No specific percentage of
students and faculty members
diagnosed as sick with the flu has
been established to determine
whether the infection has reached
epidemic proportions and warrants
closing down the University. Mr.
Williams said, "We will rely on
Student Health to make that
decision."

"What we are concerned with is
the academic functioning of the
University," he asserted.

"Never Closed"

"Since I've been here, we've
never had to close down,"
commented Paul Saunier, Jr.,
director of the University Relations
Office. "If the president is here, he
would certainly be the one to make
the decision to close down," he
said.

He reported that he had no
word on the number of students
reported ill, but noted that "a
number of officers in the University
have been hit and are shorthanded.
I do know there is a high rate of
sickness among the staff."

William H. Fishback, Jr.,
director of University News
Services, cautioned against the
premature attribution of the
increased number of students
reporting ill to the Hong Kong
strain of flu.

Uncertain Nature

Mr. Fishback, who, like Mr.
Williams, was in close contact with
Dr. Hart yesterday, said that
Student Health "did say they had a
number of cases of respiratory
illnesses," but that they were still
uncertain of the nature of these
cases.

Mr. Fishback noted that Dr.
Hart had earlier said that the Hong
Kong-type flue asserts its presence
very rapidly and, therefore, could
still make an appearance at the
University soon.

Photo By Frank Blechman

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