Richmond, Hanover County students have swine flu

A student in Richmond and one in Hanover County are infected with the H1N1 swine flu.

Statewide, a total of 84 cases of the new flu virus have been reported in 22 of the state's 35 health districts.

In Richmond, a student at William Fox Elementary School, 2300 Hanover Ave., was confirmed to have the new H1N1 swine flu.

"The student remains out of school and is doing well," Felicia Cosby, a spokeswoman with the Richmond public schools, said today.

In Hanover Country, a third-grader at Pole Green Elementary School, 8993 Pole Green Park Lane, has been confirmed to have the infection.

Dale Theakston, a spokeswoman for Hanover schools, said a letter went home to parents, and the school system continues to practice the health department's prevention guidelines.

"The child was not hospitalized," said Dr. Brooke Rossheim, director of the Chickahominy Health District, which includes Hanover County.

For privacy reasons, officials would not say much about the students.

"As part of our public health investigation . . . we will be looking to see if there are other individuals who would warrant at least being given prophylactic medication to prevent influenza," Rossheim said.

"This is the same process we would use for seasonal flu, as well," he said.

In the Richmond area, cases of H1N1 swine flu have also been confirmed in the counties of Chesterfield (6 cases) and Henrico (2 cases).

The Chesterfield cases include youth at the state-run Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center where there was an outbreak.

"There have been no new cases of the virus detected at Bon Air . . . and all of the residents who did show symptoms have recovered," said Bruce Twyman, spokesman for the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice.

"We expect the facility to return to normal operations in all areas by (today)," said Twyman.

There were at least three confirmed cases at the center. About a dozen youth were quarantined in housing at the center and non-essential visits to the campus were halted temporarily to prevent more infections.

Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site yesterday reported 13,217 confirmed and probable cases of H1N1and 27 deaths from the virus.