5/12/2009
By TIM UNRUH, Salina Journal

School official says it's unknown how boy contracted H1N1

BENNINGTON -- Aside from some extra cleaning, operations haven't changed at Bennington schools since an elementary school-age student became ill with the H1N1 influenza virus.

The boy hasn't been in school since Wednesday, said Craig Gantenbein, the elementary school and junior high school principal.

"We're just pretty much going about our normal business," he said.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported Saturday that a child in Ottawa County had tested positive for H1N1. To date, 22 cases have been confirmed in Kansas.

The KDHE updates the list daily at 10 a.m., spokeswoman Maggie Thompson said.

The Bennington boy's name was not released. He is the third in the Salina area to be diagnosed with the disease. A couple in Dickinson County were confirmed to have the virus, widely known as the swine flu, two weeks ago.

"I think the boy's doing fine. He won't come back to school until late this week, until his symptoms are completely gone," said Richard Harlan, superintendent of Twin Valley School District.

None of the school's other 450 students has been diagnosed with the virus, Gantenbein said.

Keeping in touch

Communication with parents has helped hold off any over-reaction, he said, but other maladies -- strep throat and chicken pox, for example -- have symptoms similar to H1N1.

"You try to keep everybody informed and not reacting on fear," Gantenbein said.

He said the boy and his family have no idea how he contracted H1N1.

"We've used the analogy that we kind of closed the barn door after the cows were already out," Gantenbein said. "Once we find out we have a case, they've already exposed lots of folks."

At this point, only preventative measures can be taken, he said, to stop any possible spread of germs.

"We've had custodians do extra cleaning on water fountains and desks," Gantenbein said.

Books, computer keyboards and mouses are being cleaned, too.

"With the heightened awareness, you want to make sure you're doing what you can to keep everybody safe," he said. "We've tried to maintain the student's anonymity, so they don't have to feel bad about this whole deal."

The boy has no siblings in school, Gantenbein said, and as for the parents, "I believe they put them on some medication."

Harlan said the boy's parents took him to be checked.

"We're proud of the family. They took the initiative, right off the bat, knowing he had the flu," Harlan said.

Other children exhibiting flu symptoms have been taken to see physicians as well, he said.

A representative of the North Ottawa County School District, based in Minneapolis, called the county health department to verify there was a case in the county, Superintendent Larry Combs said.

"All they would do is confirm," he said. "We heard the rumors and saw the news clips."

Since the first H1N1 case surfaced last month, the district has been monitoring it closely, erring on the side of caution, and sending students home with any sign of "elevated temperatures," Combs said. Several students in the district have suffered from strep throat recently, but those cases have subsided.

School is a prime place to pass germs, Combs said.

"Any time you've got people clustered together in a room, it increases the chance of people catching things," Combs said.

Classes dismiss for the summer May 22 in the North Ottawa County district and May 20 in the Twin Valley district.

n Reporter Tim Unruh can be reached at 822-1419 or by e-mail at tunruh@salina.com.

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