Flu shuts down more schools

MANILA, Philippines – The A(H1N1) contagion forced the suspension of classes in more schools yesterday even as education officials told school authorities to find ways to make up for the disruption.

In Metro Manila, the schools that moved to suspend classes for almost two weeks included the Poveda Learning Center at Ortigas Center in Pasig City and the Ateneo de Manila grade school in Quezon City. Classes in the two schools will resume on July 6.

“They should make sure to hold Saturday make-up classes equivalent to the days lost due to the suspension,” Education Secretary Jesli Lapus told The STAR.

“Their students should observe self-quarantine. We don’t want these school children going to the malls and other public places during the time that they are supposed to be in isolation. Parents should make sure of this,” Lapus said.

He said schools should coordinate with parents to ensure that affected students observe self-quarantine while classes are suspended.

The Department of Education (DepEd) has prescribed a mandatory 206 school days for school year 2009-2010.

Among those infected by the virus are two children of Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada. But the senator and his wife Precy disclosed that their two children had already recovered.

“They’re up and about,” the senator said.

He said he would go on self-quarantine not only because his children had been infected but because he had arrived from a trip to the Middle East and Europe.

Precy said over radio station dzMM that ironically their children had opted not to travel abroad so as not to catch the flu virus.

The senator said he was overseas when told by his wife of their children’s condition. He said they immediately informed Health Secretary Francisco Duque about it.

Precy said it was their eldest child, 19-year-old Janella, who first exhibited symptoms of the flu like mild fever. Janella is student at the De La Salle University on Taft Ave., where cases of A(H1N1) had been reported.

Precy said their younger son, 15-year-old Jolo, might have contracted the virus from his sister. Jolo, a high school student at Xavier School in Greenhills, San Juan City, had a high fever.

Precy said their children were confined for three days last week at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center also in San Juan and were quarantined for 10 days, or until Friday.

Precy said it was good that she made the children take swab tests immediately after they complained of fever.

Out of school

In Caloocan City, the Manila Central University and the St. Mary’s Academy run by the Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM) also suspended classes until June 29.

In an advisory, Dr. Lydia Tagaguin, vice president for academic affairs of MCU, said the suspension of classes in all levels was “due to some employees who tested positive for Influenza A(H1N1) virus.”

Another advisory from Dr. Renato Tanchoco Jr., vice president for administrative affairs, advised students “to go on self-quarantine and seek medical consultation at referral centers as necessary.”

“Cleaning of all laboratories will be done on June 25 provided that those who will be involved will be allowed to return on Thursday (today) June 25 to prepare the payroll,” the advisory read.

Tanchoco also asked the personnel to perform their tasks “confined in their office, will not use the air-conditioning units and clean their tables and chairs before leaving.”

Tanchoco added that the memo also applies “to all contractors working in the campus.”

St. Mary’s Academy’s directress Sister Maria Andrea Yee, in an advisory, said the school suspension would give them time to disinfect the campus.

“With the number of students getting sick for the past three school days (since Monday), the school administration has decided to suspend classes from Nursery to Grade 10 starting tomorrow (Wednesday) to June 28.”

The suspension, she said, was intended “to give the school maintenance enough time to disinfect and sanitize the school. Classes resume on June 29,” Yee said.

A school official who declined to be named said about five to 10 students were sent home after showing symptoms of flu.

CL affected

Meanwhile, 11 schools in Central Luzon are being monitored by the DOH regional office for possible new cases of A(H1N1) amid reports of 350 suspected cases in the region.

DOH regional director Dr. Rio Magpantay also said there is now a shortage of health personnel with training in gathering swab samples due to the growing number of suspected A(H1N1) cases.

“We have to train more especially in private hospitals,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mabalacat officials have decried the alleged refusal of Don Bosco Academy authorities to release the names of 32 high school students who were reported to have exhibited flu-like symptoms.

Mabalacat Mayor Marino Morales had asked Don Bosco officials to provide him with the names and addresses of the affected students to help municipal health officials to monitor them.

But a municipal doctor said Don Bosco authorities led by its rector Fr. Ditto Gueco ignored Morales’ demand.

Gueco said that his school’s doctor, nurse, and another priest have instead been monitoring the affected students.

“There were 41 students in the class but only 11 were present last Monday. Two of those present had flu so we immediately had swab samples taken from them for tests,” Gueco said.

“Not just anyone can take swab samples. Certain procedures have to be followed in taking samples from patients to make sure the test results are reliable,” Morales stressed.

Philstar