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Southern Province schools to reopen after several child deaths from flu
Primary schools in eight education zones in the Southern Province and preschools closed due to the spread of influenza will reopen on Wednesday and on June 4 respectively, according to the Southern Province Education Ministry.
Chandima Rasaputra, the provincial education minister told the Sunday Times that schools had been closed on the advice of a specialist doctor.
“The initial request was made for two weeks, however, due to the difficulty in balancing the school curriculum, we have restricted the closure of primary schools to one week,’’ he said.
The influenza virus infections, caused by the influenza A strain, were being reported from April and most of the deaths were at the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in Galle.
But mitigation measures were proposed only on May 22 by Dr. Anil Jasinghe, the director General of Health Services of the Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine.
The same influenza A strain infected people even in 2015.
The school closures came after many children died from influenza virus infections. The virus had not been identified until late May.
On May 9, a six-month-old infant from Akuressa died at Lady Ridgeway Hospital after being transferred from the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital. The baby, Nahdi Ahmad, had been admitted on April 25. On May 19, a nine-month old baby from Weligama died.
Out of 11 zones in the southern province, schools in Matara, Mulatiyana, Akuressa, Tangalle, Walasmulla, Galle, Deniyaya, and Udugama were shut.
Dr Jasinghe cautioned that the influenza virus will spread to other regions. He identified the illness as influenza A, noting that it had spread across the country in previous years and it was mostly adults who were infected.
Asked why the influenza virus was infecting mostly children this time, Dr Jasinghe attributed it to mutations in the virus.
Notice to parents and students that came up in the schools in the South
“The lower the age the higher the complications related to lung infections,’’ he said.
Dr. Jasinghe said that the required number of high flow oxygen cannulas were distributed to the Karapitiya Hospital. Further, the Epidemiology Unit has set in place a monitoring mechanism.
The Epidemiology Unit confirmed that nine lives have been lost — mostly children. Of those who have died, five suffered from chronic illnesses, three had recurrent respiratory infections and only one was a healthy individual.
The southern provincial director of health services revealed that so far 800 to 900 patients have been treated for influenza.
A monitoring mechanism will be implemented in selected hospitals and the number of patients in Out Patient Departments and patients in wards will be monitored.
Guidelines advise health authorities to take measures to minimise the number of visitors to hospitals, and health care staff have been told to wear face masks and gloves.
The symptoms of influenza A are that of a normal viral fever. Body aches, cough, cold, sore throat are common symptoms, and in a worst case scenario one might suffer from breathing difficulties, mostly shortness of breath.
Dr Anil Dissanayake, the chief epidemiologist, said that children are the most vulnerable, along with pregnant women, the elderly, and those who are suffering from chronic illnesses.
He said that 19 hospitals in the Southern Province have been alerted.
“There is no special reason for the influenza to affect only the Southern Province, however since the influenza was localised the spread can be curtailed unlike last year where the whole island was affected,’’ he said.
The Karapitiya Teaching Hospital director Dr Jayampathi Senanayake said patients will be triaged and admissions will be based on health assessments.
Two schools that were closed in Galle due to the spread of fever. Pix by Gamini Mahadura
