2 Davao universities suspend classes over H1N1

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – At least two universities here have suspended their classes after students tested positive for the Influenza A(H1N1) virus.

The San Pedro College suspended classes until July 27 after a student was found infected with the virus, based on the results of his throat swab sample test released by the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Alabang.

Ateneo de Davao University, however, suspended only two classes even if two of its students reportedly tested positive for A(H1N1).

Earlier, classes at Digos City National High School (DCNHS) in Digos City, Davao del Sur were also suspended after a 14-year-old student tested positive for swine flu.

The student came in contact with an infected nine-year-old pupil from Don Mariano Marcos Elementary School in Digos City.

Meanwhile, the Davao Medical Center has been designated as the new laboratory testing center in Mindanao that would test and determine throat swab samples for A(H1N1) cases in the region.

Davao Medical Center chief Dr. Leopoldo Vega said the Department of Health will put up a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machine in the hospital laboratory in an effort to help ease the overwhelming requests for examination of throat swab samples at the RITM.

Vega said a number of DMC laboratory personnel were sent to the RITM for training on the proper operation of the machine.

The PCR machine is expected to expedite the testing process and have results within 48 hours.

Test results from RITM take from four days to one week to arrive here instead of one to two days’ waiting time.

Thirty-six persons from Davao have tested positive for A(H1N1) but all have recovered.

In Baguio City, the regional health department said it was still in “a low level transmission” of the A H1N1 virus, despite the suspension of classes in several schools and universities.

The DOH- Cordillera Autonomous Region(CAR) said there was only a clustering of H1N1 positive patients in Baguio City.

Eight schools in the city and nearby Benguet province were said to be “infected” with the dreaded virus. 

Four of these are universities and the half are elementary and secondary schools.

The latest to suspend classes was the state-run Benguet State University in La Trinidad last week. 

Earlier, the Catholic-run Saint Louis University and the University of Baguio shut down its classes because a number of students showed symptoms of AH1N1. 

The Pines City Colleges also suspended its classes last week to “clean” its campus.

The University of Baguio Elementary and High School, Saint Louis Center, the main campus of the Baguio City National High School and the Baguio Patriotic School also suspended classes last week.

DOH-CAR director Myrna Cabotaje however doused fears of AH1N1 virus contamination in Baguio and instead advised residents to strengthen their immune systems to fight the virus.

A total of 60 persons have contracted the virus in the whole Cordillera region.

The Baguio City council has constituted a Task Force to monitor the spread of the virus as well as to implement measures on how to effectively combat its spread in the city. – With Artemio Dumlao