A NATIONAL school in Co Cavan is to remain open despite an outbreak of swine flu among a number of its pupils, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has said.
In a statement yesterday it confirmed a number of pupils at one school, understood to be Laragh National School, presented with fever, cough, sore throat, headache, body aches and fatigue. Some may also have had vomiting or diarrhoea.
It said the HSE has been working closely with the school principal, teachers and pupils to minimise the risk of the spread of the flu.
“Based on advice from the HSE public health department, a decision was made by the school principal that the school would continue to function as normal,” it said.
A number of steps are being implemented to prevent the spread of H1N1 flu within the school. Measures to improve school hygiene have been strengthened, and students and staff will be monitored for symptoms suggestive of flu. Anyone with flu-like illness will be sent home. Dr Peter Finnegan, a specialist in public health medicine in the northeast, said staff or students affected by flu have been informed they should stay at home for seven days from the onset of symptoms, even if they feel better sooner.
In further advice, the HSE said there was no need for family contacts of cases to stay away from work or school unless they themselves develop symptoms.
Arrangements are being made for a public health doctor to visit the school, which has over 100 pupils, to meet parents and inform them about the outbreak and answer their questions.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health will give an update today on the latest swine flu rates and on current numbers in hospital with the virus.
According to a Harvard University survey published yesterday, a severe outbreak of swine flu with extended employee absences might hurt as many as four out of five US businesses.
An outbreak of H1N1 influenza that keeps more than half of workers at home for more than a month would create “severe operational problems” for businesses.