Three high school students in Medellin found with A(H1N1)

CEBU, Philippines - Three students of the Medellin National High School have been found positive of the Influenza A(H1N1) virus.

This was disclosed by the municipal health officer of Medellin town Dr. Royland Momongan after results came in from the throat swabs taken from numerous students from the school who were suspected of having the virus after showing flu-like symptoms.

The chief of Medellin police station Insp. Bonifacio Arriesgado reportedly received the report that more than 70 students, mostly 3rd year and 4th year high school students showed the symptoms.

The three H1N1-positive students were said to be a 16-year-old girl, a 14-year-old boy and another 13-year-old boy.

According to Momongan, students from the said school started to get sick last July 20 and were advised to stay home until they got better.

He said that they are continuously giving medication to the students who are feverish.

Momongan said that he is unaware of where the virus came from since no one in the school had any history of travel abroad, but still they will be doing contact tracing to try to figure out the source of the virus.

Further, DOH-7 assistant regional director Dr. Lakshmi Legaspi said that they are continuously monitoring the status of the 71 students who are showing symptoms of the flu.

A team from DOH-7 led by Dr. Expedito Medalle and Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit head Renan Cimafranca reportedly went back to the school the other day to monitor the students.

Legaspi also said that they are waiting for results of the tests taken from students from different schools in Bogo who have also shown symptoms of the flu.

Two of the schools in Bogo are said to be public schools while the rest are private schools. — AJ de la Torre and Rey Pasaporte of Banat News/BRP (THE FREEMAN)