Schools allowed to suspend classes over H1N1, but...

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Education (DepEd) has allowed schools to suspend classes over suspected or confirmed cases of Influenza A(H1N1) virus but on a strict “case to case” basis.

DepEd Communications Unit chief Kenneth Tirado said schools “are still allowed to suspend classes especially if it’s their first time to have a confirmed Influenza A(H1N1) case or if they have a relatively high number of suspected cases.”

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus last week ordered schools to stop suspending classes when there are confirmed cases of A(H1N1) among their students, saying such measure was unnecessary because A(H1N1) was proving to be highly treatable while dengue fever was more deadly.

The DepEd’s Influenza A(H1N1) Task Force, in its latest update, revealed that 11 schools in San Pablo City, Laguna – including San Pablo National High School, Dizon High School, San Pablo City Science High School – had suspended classes from July 10 to 20, after discovering numerous suspected swine flu cases among their students.

H1N1 cases in Pampanga soar

In San Fernando, Pampanga, Provincial Health Office (PHO) officer Eddie Ponio said the leap in the A(H1N1) cases could be due to two big malls in the province.

Dr. Rhodora Cruz, chair of the A(H1N1) team of the DOH regional office, told The STAR that from only eight cases as of last July 1, confirmed cases of A(H1N1) in Pampanga jumped up to 101 as of last Monday.

The DOH regional office said that from only 83 cases last July 1, the total number of confirmed A(H1N1) victims in Central Luzon has zoomed to 205.

But Ponio said the figures are larger. In a telephone interview, he said A(H1N1) cases in Pampanga have already reached 112 as of yesterday. This would make Pampanga the worst hit among Central Luzon provinces, amid reports that Bulacan, the next worst affected, had only 35 confirmed cases.

Asked whether the location of Central Luzon’s biggest malls could be one factor for the high rate of infection in Pampanga, Ponio said “possibly” as he noted that “people are more at risk in public places where risk of exposure is greater.”

San Fernando, Pampanga has two big malls frequented by thousands of people daily.

Roselle Sarmiento, public relations officer of SM mall in Pampanga, noted that all health measures have been put in place at the mall, including the provision of liquid soap at lavatories, sanitizing of toilets every three hours, and spraying of alcohol-based disinfectant, particularly at the food courts.

Despite the rise in the number of A(H1N1) cases in Central Luzon, Cruz noted that 96 percent of the victims have already fully recovered.  

Latest figures from the DOH regional office indicated a slight rise in A(H1N1) cases in other provinces in Central Luzon as of last Monday.

Nueva Ecija has 30 cases, Bataan 20 cases, Zambales 17 cases and Tarlac two cases as of yesterday. No case has been reported in Aurora province.

Cruz noted that despite the new policy of the government which no longer encourages suspension of classes in schools affected by A(H1N1), St. Scholastica’s Academy and the Assumption University Seminary in San Fernando, Pampanga recently suspended classes to disinfect their campuses, she said.

DOH regional director Dr. Rio Magpantay noted that the mosquito-borne dengue fever has continued to be a more serious threat to local folk, noting that seven have already died out of 654 dengue cases so far noted this year in Central Luzon.

Cruz cited statistics indicating 18 as the median age of the A(H1N1) victims in Central Luzon, although the youngest victim was noted to be five months old and the oldest aged 68. She also said most of the victims were male.

In Cagayan Valley, three more cases of A(H1N1) have been confirmed.

Dr. Lydia Depra-Ramos, DOH regional director, said the three additional A(H1N1) victims are all high school students, two from Isabela and a 12-year-old freshman from Saint Mark High School in Cabarroguis, Quirino.

The patient from Quirino, the first reported case in the province, tested positive for the virus with a history of contact from a lecturer of the University of Santo Tomas, who was invited by the school administration.

Likewise, two students from Tumauini, Isabela also tested positive for A(H1N1) after being exposed to a sick relative from the US and spending days in Manila recently.

But Ramos said the situation is still manageable.

In Lucena City, six high school students tested positive for A(H1N1) while 72 students from a private school have flu, City Health officer Dr. Wildredo Frondoza said in an interview.

The six students are confined in a private hospital while the 72 are quarantined and undergoing treatment.

Meanwhile, classes in government-run Digos City National High School (DCNHS) in Davao were suspended Tuesday after a 14-year-old student tested positive for the A(H1N1) flu.

The student was reported to be among those who were in contact with an earlier positive patient, a nine-year-old pupil of Don Mariano Marcos Elementary School, also in Digos City.

Meanwhile, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) yesterday clarified that, contrary to earlier reports, the government is not providing P75,000 for workers afflicted with Influenza A(H1N1), Labor Secretary Marianito Roque said.

“The government is not extending financial assistance to all workers afflicted with the flu virus,” he clarified. – With Mayen Jaymalin, Ding Cervantes, Charlie Lagasca, Michelle Zoleta, Edith Regalado