Number of swine flu cases drops sharply at WSU

PULLMAN — The number of students calling to report flu-like symptoms at Washington State University has dropped sharply, indicating the nation’s biggest outbreak of swine flu on a college campus may be easing. Washington State officials reported that 68 students called the health service Thursday. That was well below the 128 who called on Wednesday, and continued a trend of declining numbers this week. More than 2,500 students have called WSU Health and Wellness Services to complain of flu-like symptoms. One student has been hospitalized for dehydration, but otherwise nearly all cases have been mild. The American College Health Association has reported that the state of Washington had the most swine flu cases among students. Nearly all of those cases were at WSU, as other colleges in the state are just opening or have not yet opened.