Though twenty students involved in sorority rush week reported flu-like symptoms, on-campus sorority houses remain open the week before classes resume and freshmen women visit each house hoping to join the organization, according to the University’s Panhellenic Council President Kelli Huff. The students were tested for flu and sent home, Huff said.Herb Vincent, University spokesman, said in an e-mail Saturday 20 students involved with sorority recruitment were diagnosed with “Type A Influenza, suffering from mild to moderate symptom of the virus.”The students were told to remain at home for at least seven days after the first sign of the virus or until 24 hour after having no symptoms, Vincent said. “Routine tests for H1N1 virus are no longer being conducted by state and federal agencies,” Vincent said. “However, it is presumed that any Influenza A circulating at this time of the year is the H1N1 virus.”WWL-TV in New Orleans reported around noon Friday that students “were advised by campus medical personal doctors to be tested further to see if the Type-A flu that they have is H1N1, commonly known as swine flu.” Huff said reports of swine flu are exaggerations. She said none of the Greek houses are under quarantine. “It’s nothing new,” Huff said. “It’s not some kind of epidemic that’s sweeping through the sororities.” She said students get sick at recruitment every year. “We don’t need more drama than already is attributed to sorority recruitment,” Huff said. “We have other things that we need to be worried about.” Vincent said students should cover mouths and noses when coughing or sneezing as well as washing hands with soap and water and frequently disinfecting “books, counters, desks, doorknobs and keyboards.”The Health Center will be open from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and normal hours Monday to treat students, Vincent said.
——Contact Emily Holden at [email protected]