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HEALTH
Swine flu epidemic causes student hospitalizations
MCKENNA HARFORD news@kansan.com
It seems as if 2009 Swine Flu (H1N1) is back for more, and this time it has brought additional new flu strains. Because of this, the State of Kansas recommends everyone six months of age and older get a flu shot.
Last week, more than 5 percent of doctors' visits were because of influenza-like symptoms, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported. This number was more than double the occurrence for the same week in 2012. There have been 892 cases of Swine Flu and 164 cases of Influenza A reported to the CDC in the nation's west
north central region as of Jan. 10.
Influenza, the eighth leading cause of death in Kansas, is a major concern for physicians and major health organizations. It's estimated that 5 to 10 percent of Americans are sick with the flu every year.
In 2013,1,444 deaths were reported. So far, there have been three deaths statewide.
Last month, Lawrence Memorial Hospital confirmed more than 97 cases of flu in a 12-day period. As a result, physicians at Watkins Student Health Center encourage college students to get vaccinated.
"This year we will be very worried about [the flu] in the college student," said Dr.
Leah Luckeroth, a physician at Watkins Student Health Center. "I still highly recommend not to share drinks or food."
The everyday activities of college students make
the 18-22 age group is less likely to get immunized. This susceptibility lead to especially bad influenza cases, like freshman Taylor Cameron.
Cameron started off mildly
"This year we will be very worried about [the flu] in the college student. I still highly recommend not to share drinks or food."
them more susceptible to illnesses, especially the flu, said Luckeroth. In addition to sharing food, college students don't prioritize sleep and healthy eating habits, and
LEAH LUCKEROTH Physician
sick and ended up in the hospital. Last November, Cameron got a stomachache that she attributed to too much coffee. She realized it wasn't just a stomachache after vomiting
multiple times.
"I was so weak," she said. "I definitely knew I needed an IV."
Cameron's friends drove her to the hospital and her nurse told her she was going to have surgery.
At first, her illness was mistaken for appendicitis. The second nurse, however, stopped the surgery. Cameron was put on an IV and bed rest. She stayed in bed for three days and missed an exam.
"I've been against the flu shot for a long time," Cameron said. "When I got [the shot] in junior high, I got flu symptoms. I knew a bunch of people who got a shot and still got the flu." Cameron's face isn't unique.
Before her illness, Cameron wasn't vaccinated.
Cameron's case isn't unique;
other students are coming down with potentially life-threatening cases.
"There are people that are young that are getting hospitalized." Luckeroth said. These hospitalized college students join the more than 200,000 flu-related hospitalizations nationwide, according to Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
Knowing these preventative measures can help classmates and friends, Luckeroth said.
"If you have a friend and they aren't getting better and they aren't going to the doctor, encourage them to do so because we do not want a bad outcome." Luckeroth said.
SWINE FLU, ROUND TWO
Edited by Blair Sheade
TECHNOLOGY
Free safety app available to students
PAIGE STINGLEY
news@kansan.com
The mobile app Safe Trek is free to KU students until this Friday at midnight.
Student Body President Marcus Tetwiler was contacted by the creator of the app over winter break, and was able to make a negotiation that will allow students free access to this app. Safe Trek has recently gained popularity in many SEC schools, but the University will be the first Big 12 school to have this opportunity.
"It's a great way to use technology and innovation to improve campus safety," Tetwiler said.
Safe Trek provides students with a proactive safety outlet if they ever feel threatened by their surroundings. Users can hold down the safe button, which will passively connect them to the police.
Every time there is an alert in a specific location, Safe Trek records the location and places a blue dot on a GPS map and coordinates it with other dots from the area. This allows campus and local police to see which areas are the most threatened and what they can do to improve them.
If nothing happens, students can release the button and enter a PIN number to cancel an alert to the police. If something unexpected occurs, the user can release the safe button without entering the PIN and the police will be notified to arrive at the scene.
Zach Beattie, co-creator of the app, is a senior at the University of Missouri. He and his partner, Nick Droege, created the app after hearing several students and parents question the safety of the campus.
"We wanted to do something
to make a difference in our community," said Beattie. "This is something that has changed my life, and something we hope will change the lives of the people in our community."
There were three university shootings this week around the country. These shootings include one student who was shot while sitting in his car at Widener University on Monday, a teaching assistant who was killed at Purdue University on Tuesday, and a false alarm at the University of Oklahoma yesterday.
Safe Trek was released for iPhones about three months ago, and was just recently released for Android phones. As of now, the app has more than 5,000 downloads. Beattie and his partner have shared this app with several other schools around them.
Edited by Blair Sheade
HOW IT WORKS
1. DOWNLOAD THE APP Input your personal information to create a safety profile.
2. WHEN YOU FEEL UNSAFE Launch the application and hold down on the safe button.
3.WHEN YOU ARE SAFE
Type your four-digit pin number to exit the app and halt GPS tracking.
4. IN AN EMERGENCY Release the safe button. If you don't enter your pin after 10 seconds, police will be notified.
Safe Trek is a new mobile app that provides a proactive safety outlet for students. The app is available for free download until Friday at midnight.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
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