Published Date: 2010-05-30 12:59:40
Subject: PRO/EAFR> Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (18): Ghana
Archive Number: 20100530.207703

INFLUENZA PANDEMIC (H1N1) 2009 (18): GHANA
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A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Date: Sat 29 May 2010
Source: Peace FM Online, Asempa FM (Ghana) report [edited]
http://news.peacefmonline.com/education/201005/44269.php


Eastern region: more than 80 students quarantined
-------------------------------------------------
A massive wave of (H1N1) influenza (swine flu) has hit another
Eastern Region School, Aburi Presbyterian Senior High School, and
over 80 students are believed to have been infected. This comes
barely a week after over 170 students of the St. Martin's Senior High
School at Adoagyire in the same district got infected with the diseases.

Reports say the over 80 infected students of the Aburi Presbyterian
SHS have been quarantined in one of the dormitories in the school.
One of the female students, who spoke with our reporter, Kwaku
Antwi-Otoo, alleged that the school authorities do not want their
parents to know about the outbreak in the school.

"We were in class on [Mon 24 May 2010], when we saw the school
vehicle, conveying some of the female students to the hospital. We
enquired why and they told us they have been infected with the (H1N1)
flu [virus]. The school authorities are preventing our parents from
knowing so as at now, am not sure our parents are aware of the
outbreaks," the student explained.

The student explained that the school vehicle conveys 40 passengers
and it did 3 trips, spawning suspicion that the figure could be more.
"The students are in the school and they are being through it
everyday. The teachers would use handkerchiefs to cover their mouths
when teaching while the rest of the students would also use
handkerchiefs to cover their mouth," the student added. The student
added that the teachers claim if the affected students mingled with
the unaffected, the disease would spread.

The Eastern Regional Director of the Ghana Health Services (GHS), Dr.
Erasmus Adongo, confirmed the disease to Asempa News, but explained
that the situation is under control. "I can't give the figures now,
but the District Director told me samples that were sent to Noguchi
tested (H1N1)-positive and we are monitoring the situation," he explained.

Meanwhile, Dr. Adongo says all the students who were infected at the
St. Martin's SHS in Adoagyire have been treated and discharged. "For
the past week, no one has reported any symptoms of the (H1N1) and so
we believe they disease has been put under control," he said.

[Byline: Kwaku Antwi-Otoo]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-EAFR


[The Eastern Region in Ghana continues to experience increased
transmission of pandemic (H1N1) virus in schools. As indicated in our
previous posting (ProMED-EAFR 20100524.207546), we continue to see a
communication gap between the school and health authorities on one
part and the parents of the affected children on the other. This is
critical for the success of the outbreak control interventions and
avoiding unnecessary anxiety among the parents and the general public.


The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Ghana is available at
http://healthmap.org/r/01jE. The Eastern Region can be seen via the
maps at http://www.maplibrary.org/stacks/Africa/Ghana/index.php. - Mod.JFW]

See Also

Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (17): Ghana 20100524.207546
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (16): Namibia 20100520.207475
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (15): Ghana 20100414.206757
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (14): Namibia 20100411.206681
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (13): Rwanda 20100407.206598
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (12): Egypt 20100224.205724
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (11): Egypt 20100218.205604
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (10): Senegal 20100209.205388

[Additional background information on influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009
is available from the general ProMED-mail list. The postings below
can be found at http://www.promedmail.org. - Mod.JFW

[Influenza pandemic (H1N1) (34): Indian variants 20100525.1741
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) (33): WHO update, corr. 20100527.1765
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) (33): WHO update 20100522.1700
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) (32): WHO update 20100501.1418
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) (29): seasonal vaccine 20100415.1224
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) (28): Hong Kong SAR, Norway, D222G mutation
20100409.1147
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) (27): USA (GA) 20100330.1004
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) (26): WHO update 20100327.0965
...................................jfw/mj/be

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From promed-eafr-bounces@promedmail.org Sun May 30 13:12:52 2010