THE City Health Office (CHO) is presently monitoring 678 students from different schools in Ozamiz City after they simultaneously showed flu-like symptoms and excused themselves from their classes.
This came while health authorities are still in the process of endorsing recommendations on school mitigation strategies against the possible outbreak of A(H1N1) in Misamis Occidental.
In a report aired over DxSY, Thursday, Ozamiz City Health Officer Daniel Medina assured the public nobody was yet confirmed positive of A(H1N1) in the city as he disclosed the students only exhibited fever symptoms, some of which were associated with stomach aches.
Medina said the 678 students came from Pulot Elementary School (ES), Maningcol ES, Catadman ES, Molicay ES, Gango ES, Tabid Central School and Montol National High School.
Of the mentioned schools, Pulot listed the most figures with 134.
Medina likewise said that they have classified two students from Misamis University and another three from La Salle University as “case under observation” after they showed the same feverish signs.
Swab samples from the said students were already taken and sent to the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine in Alabang, Muntinlupa.
Earlier this week, two students from Barra Elementary School (ES) in Tudela were found positive of the virus, based on the results from their swab samples.
The two confirmed cases in Barra ES were among the 125 taken in for swab sampling after 97 students from the said school all at once complained of fever.
The next day, another 28 students exhibited the same symptoms and were not in attendance. By Wednesday, the number rose to 182, this time, including 36 students from the nearby Tudela Central School and 21 more from Balon Elementary School.
Municipal health authorities surmised the flu-like symptoms felt by students in Balon were only associated with their lack of resistance since the barangay was classified as “moderately malnourished” and one of the “dirtiest” village in Tudela.
The tag came after a health team found that children living there have insufficient and unbalanced food diet and most households lack toilets, leaving people to use the backyard for human wastes.
While the spread of the flu-like symptoms were yet limited to the areas of schools, Medina said students who complain of fever or flu should be provided with appropriate guidance on supportive care and undergo self-isolation while continuously monitoring his or her health.
Medina added that the health department’s advice of observing good personal hygiene should also be followed in order to minimize chances of acquiring the A(H1N1).
He suggested the washing of one’s hands using soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizers immediately after coughing or sneezing, or after touching anything or anyone suspect.
Meanwhile, Gov. Loreto Ocampos said the A(H1N1) infection cases detected in the province is not as alarming and added that he has already ordered the Misamis Occidental Provincial Hospital down to the Municipal Health Offices to stock vitamins A, C, D and E to prevent more A(H1N1) outbreak in the communities
REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA
This came while health authorities are still in the process of endorsing recommendations on school mitigation strategies against the possible outbreak of A(H1N1) in Misamis Occidental.
In a report aired over DxSY, Thursday, Ozamiz City Health Officer Daniel Medina assured the public nobody was yet confirmed positive of A(H1N1) in the city as he disclosed the students only exhibited fever symptoms, some of which were associated with stomach aches.
Medina said the 678 students came from Pulot Elementary School (ES), Maningcol ES, Catadman ES, Molicay ES, Gango ES, Tabid Central School and Montol National High School.
Of the mentioned schools, Pulot listed the most figures with 134.
Medina likewise said that they have classified two students from Misamis University and another three from La Salle University as “case under observation” after they showed the same feverish signs.
Swab samples from the said students were already taken and sent to the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine in Alabang, Muntinlupa.
Earlier this week, two students from Barra Elementary School (ES) in Tudela were found positive of the virus, based on the results from their swab samples.
The two confirmed cases in Barra ES were among the 125 taken in for swab sampling after 97 students from the said school all at once complained of fever.
The next day, another 28 students exhibited the same symptoms and were not in attendance. By Wednesday, the number rose to 182, this time, including 36 students from the nearby Tudela Central School and 21 more from Balon Elementary School.
Municipal health authorities surmised the flu-like symptoms felt by students in Balon were only associated with their lack of resistance since the barangay was classified as “moderately malnourished” and one of the “dirtiest” village in Tudela.
The tag came after a health team found that children living there have insufficient and unbalanced food diet and most households lack toilets, leaving people to use the backyard for human wastes.
While the spread of the flu-like symptoms were yet limited to the areas of schools, Medina said students who complain of fever or flu should be provided with appropriate guidance on supportive care and undergo self-isolation while continuously monitoring his or her health.
Medina added that the health department’s advice of observing good personal hygiene should also be followed in order to minimize chances of acquiring the A(H1N1).
He suggested the washing of one’s hands using soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizers immediately after coughing or sneezing, or after touching anything or anyone suspect.
Meanwhile, Gov. Loreto Ocampos said the A(H1N1) infection cases detected in the province is not as alarming and added that he has already ordered the Misamis Occidental Provincial Hospital down to the Municipal Health Offices to stock vitamins A, C, D and E to prevent more A(H1N1) outbreak in the communities
REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA