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Local Students Test Positive For H1N1 In Italy

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Jun 8, 2009 8:24 am US/Eastern

Local Students Test Positive For H1N1 In Italy

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― A quarantine order was lifted Sunday on four Duquesne University students who came down with the H1N1 flu virus while traveling abroad in Italy.

Officials with the university say one of the students had to be hospitalized.

Eight students from the music school at Duquesne University, two high school students and an adult student were on the trip to study opera, officials said.

The chair of university voice department led the trip, but shortly after their arrival, school officials say a female student got sick.

"One of these people who was in Italy became ill and was hospitalized with what looked like H1N1," said Dr. Bruce Dixon, of the Allegheny County Health Department.

Then, three more of the students became ill.

"I don't think they got it in Italy, I suspect they got it in Pittsburgh … and carried it over there," said Dr. Dixon. "They were probably in the incubating phase when they left."

Officials with Duquesne University say the students were asked to stay in their rooms.

The entire group was treated with Tamiflu and the sick students have recovered. Authorities say the health officials in Italy lifted the quarantine Sunday.

The group has finished their work, but did have to cancel a concert. They are set to come home on Tuesday.

Dr. Dixon says the H1N1 flu seems more common in teenagers and young adults.

"Most people who were born before 1957 - that virus or a very similar virus was circulating for a long period of time - so many individuals 50-some years old probably have a certain amount of innate immunity," explained Dr. Dixon.

So far, there have only been 27 confirmed H1N1 flu cases in Allegheny County, which Dixon says should be reassuring.

"Twenty-seven cases out of 1.4 million is a very minuscule amount," he said. "It doesn't seem like our numbers are going up.

In addition, to the 27 confirmed cases in the county, officials say there are also six probable ones.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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