Reports of Influenza

Hendrix Health is MSUM’s first line of defense to protect the wellbeing of our campus community.  Influenza is a common and contagious respiratory disease.

The strain of H1N1 that is being reported exhibits symptoms that are identical to typical seasonal flu.  Testing for a specific type of flu, like H1N1, may involve more than one step.  The first step would be to determine whether the infection is influenza A or B.  If a test is positive for type A, and the patient is hospitalized, a subsequent test conducted at a state laboratory could determine if the H1N1 virus was present.

The time involved in testing means that cases of typical seasonal flu and H1N1 may not always be confirmed.  Because of that, we are emphasizing the importance of protecting yourself and your responsibility to protect others.

Pandemic Response Plan

Given the concern about the H1N1 virus and the talk of a potential pandemic we wanted to provide you with information on the steps MSUM is taking to prepare for and respond to a flu outbreak.

The university has a pandemic flu plan. This comprehensive plan developed in conjunction with the Minnesota State College and University system outlines in detail steps to be taken should a disease outbreak occur. You can view the plan HERE. A component of the flu plan is to have a university pandemic committee. This committee is made up of the Director of Health and Wellness, the Safety and Environmental Health Manager, the Director of Housing, the Director of Food Service ,  staff from the School of Nursing and representatives from Local Public Health. The flu committee has been meeting regularly since March. MSUM continues to work closely with Clay County Public Health and the Minnesota Department of Health to keep up to date on any emerging health issues.

If a student does experience flu like symptoms they should go to Hendrix Health Center on campus. Health Center  hours are Monday – Friday 8am to 4:40 pm. Students can be seen by a doctor or nurse practitioner at no cost.

The safety of our university community – students, staff and faculty are our primary concern.  If they haven’t I would encourage your student to sign up for E2Campus the University’s emergency alert  system.

For further information on H1N1 I would direct you to the following websites: