The first case of the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu, has been confirmed at Kent State.

The student does not live on campus and did not require hospitalization because of the illness, according to a statement on the university’s flu Web site,www.kent.edu/flu.

Tom Neumann, associate vice president for University Communications, said the case was confirmed today at University Health Services.

“It shows that we did a good job prepping for it,” environmental health professor Chris Woolverton said. “This is the fifth week of class and it’s just the first case. Others had it within the first week of classes.”

Woolverton said the university would continue with the same actions they’ve been doing. This includes telling students and faculty to practice personal hygiene, such as washing hands, covering their mouths when they cough, and isolating themselves if they become ill.

“The flu is mostly self-rectifying, meaning the body just has to deal with it,” Woolverton said. He said there are clear indicators of when medical attention should be sought, including severe coughing, pain or trouble breathing.

Portage County reported its first case of the H1N1 virus last spring. The Portage County Health Department is now only doing surveillance on the situation, not keeping count of specific cases.

“We’re not encouraging testing,” said Kelly Englehart, director of nursing at the Portage County Health Department. “It’s in our community. It’s in our schools. It’s here.”

Check KentNewsNet.com and follow Kent360 on Twitter for the latest swine flu news.

For a compilation of information about swine flu and links to other sources of information, go to www.kentnewsnet.com/swineflu.

Contact health reporter Amber Wade at [email protected].