By Jeff Hamlin
Assistant News Director

While the Novel H1N1 virus is back in the headlines nationally, new figures from UNC indicate the number of cases is growing, but it’s no outbreak.

In fact, it’s unclear if the number of confirmed cases is even H1N1 itself, according to Mary Beth Koza, Director of Environment, Health and Safety for UNC.

During the first week of classes on the UNC campus, 25 students by Campus Health Services for flu-like illnesses. No numbers are available for this week yet.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported higher levels of flu-like illness than normal this summer, and health officials are concerned that the virus will continue to spread throughout the fall and winter.

In preparation, Koza says they’ve done everything they can to keep infected students safe.

UNC staff recommends that if students are infected with flu-like symptoms, they stay home from school or work. If they have a roommate that’s infected, the student should go to class, but monitor their health every day.