U. of Ill. students with flu advised to head home

The Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting just five new swine flu-related hospitalizations in the last week. That's down from 18 new cases the week before.

The updated figures come as the University of Illinois is telling students that they should be prepared to either head home for a week or isolate themselves if they contract the H1N1 flu strain.

The Urbana-Champaign campus sent letters this week to about 60,000 students and faculty preparing for fall classes. The fall semester starts Aug. 24.

Dr. Robert Palinkas is the director of the campus' McKinley Health Center, and he expects some students will have been infected at summer programs and camps.

Faculty and staff are also being encouraged to stay home when they're sick.