For influenza A (H1N1): 9 Science High studes to undergo swab test

CEBU, Philippines – Nine students of the Philippine Science High School in Argao will undergo a swab test today after they were discovered to be experiencing cough and fever yesterday. 

Dr. Cora Lou Kintanar, spokesperson of the Department of Health-7, said they immediately proceeded to Argao upon learning the news and advised the nine students to stay home for at least 10 days.

Classes at Science High would continue, however, as the school continues to hold orientation on the Influenza A (H1N1) virus among its students, faculty and staff.

A mother of one of the nine students - four boys and five girls -from the third and fourth year levels said the students were down with fever and colds since the other day. She said the students were among those that went on a field trip in Bohol last Saturday.

She said her daughter told her she had fever and was feeling week only last Tuesday. One of the affected boys reportedly had fever since Sunday.

The school reportedly gave the students Paracetamol and Neozep in the past few days.

Meanwhile, Kintanar also disclosed seven more students from a school in Metro Cebu are under observation for possible infection of the H1N1 virus. The students reportedly experienced moderate grade fever.

She also disclosed that DOH Regional Epedimiologist Renan Cimafrance went to Pinamungajan town to check on one patient who earlier tested positive of the virus and to establish the victim’s immediate contacts.

Kintanar said results of the swab test conducted among the four out of the 18 students from another school in Metro Cebu who were placed under observation the other day after showing symptoms of the virus, will be out by next week, if not within the week.

As of yesterday, Central Visayas recorded 33 positive cases of infection of the H1N1 virus with the number of those under observation climbing up to 199 from 192 the other day. The nine students from PSHS are not yet considered as being “under observation”.

DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III yesterday convened another DOH Command Conference attended by members of the A (H1N1) Task Force, DOH regional health directors, chiefs of hospitals of all the 72 DOH-retained hospitals in the country, and some representatives from the private sector. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon and Liv G. Campo/JMO (THE FREEMAN)