Montgomery Co. confirms H1N1 case

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - Montgomery County Health Commissioner Jim Gross reported June 1, 2009 that Montgomery County has now confirmed its first case of H1N1 in a 16 year-old male student at Vandalia Butler High School. This individual is recovering at home and was exposed through an H1N1 case reported in Clark County.

Vandalia Butler School Superintendent Christy Donnelly is advising parents to make sure that sick students remain at home. Superintendent Donnelly explained that school officials will work with students and parents on any problems created by sick students being off during finals week.

Health Commissioner Gross explained, “We are not asking the school to close because H1N1 flu is widely dispersed, symptoms in general remain mild, and closing schools will serve little benefit in containing the spread of the virus.” Commissioner Gross continued, “This action follows the guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and we recommend at this point that schools base school closings on the same factors used with normal seasonal flu.”

As a rule, schools close only when the number of ill staff or students becomes so large as to prevent normal day-to-day school operations.

If you are wondering what you should know about H1N1, visit your local public health department website. In Montgomery County, it is www.phdmc.org .

If you have questions about the local H1N1 flu situation, call 225-4508 from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday.

After normal business hours, you may call the toll-free H1N1 information line of the Ohio Department of Health at 866-800-1404.