Owatonna H.S. Flu Outbreak: 1 Student Dies Of Flu-Like Symptoms
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A Minnesota high school is feeling the full effects of the flu season, including the death of one of their classmates.
According to her family, 17-year-old Shannon Zwanziger had been suffering from flu-like symptoms for about a week and had also been battling a severe sore throat. Her parents took her to a hospital as she was unable to eat or drink anything.
On Tuesday morning, Zwanziger stopped breathing and her heart stopped. She was revived and was having a surgery when she died. Zwanziger was a senior at Owatonna High School.
Owatonna Senior High School principal Mark Randall said Wednesday grief counselors were at school to help students.
"This is a difficult day, I wouldn't wish this on anyone, especially young students who don't know how to deal with something like this," Randall said.
Randall also said this year's flu outbreak has been the worst in recent history at the school.
At its peak last week, Randall said 179 students were absent due to illness in one day out of 1,500 students. Randall said on an average day, 1 percent of students are absent due to illness.
Randall said the school is bringing in extra cleaning staff and providing materials on avoiding and recovering from the Flu.
Minnesota Health Department spokesperson Doug Schultz said everyone is encouraged to get a flu shot, even though they are usually only 50-60% effective.
"That level of protection is better than nothing," Schultz said.
Schultz also said there is considered to be an outbreak happening in Southern and South Eastern Minnesota right now.
"We don't recommend parents keep their children home from school if they are healthy," Schultz said.
Schultz said an outbreak at a school means the whole community is likely experiencing an outbreak and people are susceptible to the virus in most well-traveled places.
Randall says he feels the worst of the outbreak is over, but he is encouraging parents to keep sick children home from school until they are completely well.
The health department reports doctors can perform a Rapid Flu Test to determine if someone has the flu but they often come back negative and are not very sensitive to detecting the virus.
Therefore, health officials recommend treating anyone with flu-like symptoms as though they have the flu, regardless of any test outcome.
"If someone has not had a flu shot yet, now is the time," Schultz said.
It could take up to 18 weeks to determine Zwanziger's exact cause of death. For more information on how to support the Zwanziger family, click here.
