MANILA, Philippines - La Sallians need no longer fear new taunts by their archrivals during the coming UAAP basketball tournament. The A(H1N1) virus has been detected in Ateneans too, indicating not only the continuing spread of infection but the rapid response of schools and health authorities to a global crisis.
Three high school students of the Ateneo de Manila University on Tuesday tested positive for A(H1N1) infection, prompting school officials to suspend their classes for 10 days starting today.
In an announcement posted on its Web site, ADMU said Ateneo High School (AHS) principal Fr. Raymund-Benedict Q. Hizon, S.J. received the information from the Department of Health (DOH) Tuesday afternoon.
The announcement said the three cases were declared mild by the DOH, but following the government’s existing guidelines on dealing with A(H1N1), classes must be suspended for at least 10 days.
“The three infected boys are in fact already feeling better, and were advised to rest at home and continue with their self-quarantine, with no need for hospitalization," the announcement read. It also advises students to stay home and avoid crowded areas during the suspension of classes. Not all schools are ready for virus
The detection and quick quarantine of the infected high school students resulted from a heightened public awareness about how to contain the spread of the virus. But not all schools are as well-equipped to handle reports of infection as quickly as the Ateneo, which has adequate health services and communications systems. Other schools could already harbor the infection but don't have efficient means of identifying infected students and subjecting them to tests.
Calls made to various Metro Manila universities indicate that the most elite schools had the quickest responses, while others were still trying to decide what to do. A number of universities even opened classes last Monday in defiance of the Ched's order to postpone. University officials claimed that they were not informed in time by Ched, although the media had reported Ched's action over the weekend.
Ateneo hotlines
Meanwhile, as a precautionary measure, the Ateneo Grade School said it would also suspend elementary classes for two days starting Wednesday, June 10.
The AGS said it was established that the three infected high schools students have no siblings in the grade school.
Ateneo said all their offices would remain open and those with flu-like symptoms are advised to call Ateneo hotlines (426-5930 or 0918-9144633) for instructions on how to deal with the illness.
The designated referral center closest to the Ateneo is the Lung Center of the Philippines at Quezon Avenue with telephone number 924-6101 & 924-0707, the announcement said.
Other referral centers are the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (809-7599) and the San Lazaro Hospital (732-3776 to 78).
Ateneo is the fourth school in Metro Manila with students positive for swine flu. The other schools are: De La Salle University with 13 cases, Far Eastern University-East Asia with one, and De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde also with one confirmed case.
National preparedness
Earlier, the DOH said the total number of A(H1N1) confirmed cases in the country is now at 54, but with no fatalities. The DOH added that all the patients have mild cases A(H1N1) and are responding positively to treatment.
The prompt detection and follow-up of cases could be credited with the prevention of fatalities so far. The country's public health care system and public alertness about fast-spreading viruses have previously been tested during the SARS and avian flu scares, which likewise affected the Philippines much less than other countries where the epidemics struck first.
Most of the swine flu deaths have occurred in Mexico which at first didn't know what it was dealing with. Once scientific information emerged about the nature of the threat, the DOH reacted with speed, the public was informed, and many schools put in place response systems following DOH guidelines. So when the virus did arrive on Philippine shores, reaction was swift.
The result has been the quick identification of possible carriers, and the isolation of infected individuals and their possible contacts. All of their lives so far have been spared.
The alertness and response of other institutions in the coming weeks will determine if the country can maintain its perfect record in swine flu death prevention. - GMANews.TV
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