Flu-like symptoms struck about 40 additional students this week, bringing the total number of students suspected to be infected with H1N1 from 116 last Thursday to 162 mid-afternoon yesterday, according to Dean of Student Affairs Tim Foster.
Of the 162 students that have exhibited symptoms of the flu, 133 have recovered and are back in classes.
Of the 29 who are currently ill, 13 students have returned home, another nine are isolated in their single rooms around campus, and only seven remain in Chamberlain Hall.
Despite previous plans to move the isolation ward out of Chamberlain Hall and into the Peter Buck Center for Health and Fitness on Thursday, Foster said that move was postponed to allow the Health Center to get fully situated in their new facilities.
"We'll continue to use Chamberlain until next week," he said.
Though Foster said that "the first part of the week started off with a definite drop," cases of students presenting flu-like illness are still coming in daily, including seven new students on Thursday morning.
"Everyone I run into has a story," said Foster. "You've either had it yourself or you've had a good friend who's had it."
The College's Children's Center has also been battling H1N1 concerns, with some staff members and children exhibiting flu-like symptoms.
"We're going to be closed in an attempt to stop it from spreading," said Director of the Children's Center Kristin Gould, adding that a thorough cleaning of the building would be done over the weekend so that it is ready for use again next week.
"We're pretty sure we'll be here Monday morning," Gould said.
According to Foster, the College is also anticipating the arrival of the seasonal flu vaccination, but due to shortages around the country, has yet to receive any doses.
"We are working to obtain enough doses to vaccinate our highest risk students," he said.
Fellow colleges across Maine continue to deal with students coming down with flu-like symptoms, though not to the extent that Bowdoin has.
On Thursday, Director of Communications at Bates College Bryan McNulty reported that nine students on campus have experienced Influenza-Like-Illness (ILI).
Cultures from the nine ill students have been sent to the state lab to be tested for H1N1, and so far, the news has been good.
"We have eight negative cultures with all of those students back in classes," wrote Bates Health Services Director Christy Tisdale in an e-mail to the Orient. "We have one culture pending."
In an increase from last week's five cases, the University of Maine is now reporting 13 cases of ILI, none of which have been confirmed as H1N1. Of the 13 cases, seven cases are students and six are University of Maine employees.