DAVAO CITY, July 19, 2009—Two big Catholic colleges here temporarily suspend their classes due to the spread of influenza A (H1NI) for ten days.
Earlier, the San Pedro College in Davao, managed and operated by Dominican Sisters suspended their classes until July 27 after a student was confirmed to have been infected with the virus.
Yesterday, the Archdiocese-run Holy Cross of Davao College (HCDC) also shut down their classes effective July 19 to July 28 after one high school student has been confirmed to have been infected with the influenza through a throat swab test by the Davao Medical Center Special Isolation Ward Office.
In a Memo issued yesterday, HCDC President Dr. Maria Iris A. Melliza said that in order to contain the spread of the virus, the school management consequently decided to suspend classes/work in the main and the Bajada campuses for ten days.
The school also conducted a disinfection of the main and Bajada campuses and will be off-limits to all employees, students and clients.
The management also advised students and employees who are experiencing influenza-like illness to follow strict compliance to home quarantine and to seek appropriate medical consultation from private physician or hospital.
Meanwhile, Ateneo de Davao University, a Jesuit-run school here suspended only two classes even if there was a confirmed case of students being infected with A (H1N1).
Medical advisories have already been distributed in different schools on how to contain the spread of the virus.
To date, there is no evidence yet of a community spread of the virus here and numbers remain stable. Thirty-six persons from Davao have been confirmed to have influenza A (H1N1) but all have recovered.
In churches and parishes, medical awareness and educational campaign on personal hygiene were also conducted.
Vicar General Msgr. Leonardo Vicente, also the parish priest of San Pablo Parish in Juna Subdivision, Matina advised the parishioners to temporarily refrain receiving the Holy Communion by mouth.
Vicente also urged the people to pray for the healing of those people who have been infected and to ask God to stop the spread of the virus.
Medical experts, meanwhile, asked the people to avoid close contact with sick people (social distancing of at least one meter) and to avoid mingling with highly susceptible people or at high risk such as children less than 5 years old, patients taking steroids like those with asthma, and immuno-compromised people like those with cancer, diabetes, etcetera.
The health officials also warned people to momentarily keep away from people with history of travel from other countries affected with influenza A (H1N1) virus. (Mark S. Ventura)
