Swine flu outbreak at Cavan school

[Pathfinder]

Wednesday, September 9, 2009, 18:05

Swine flu outbreak at Cavan school

A number of cases of swine have been confirmed at a national school in Co Cavan, the Health Service Executive said today.

The HSE began an investigation after a number of pupils fell ill with a suspected virus, displaying symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, headache, body aches and fatigue. The outbreak was later confirmed to be mostly due to swine flu.

The school, which is understood to be Laragh National School, Co Cavan, has remained open, the HSE said, with measures taken to minimise the risk of the spread of the flu.

Specialist in public health medicine with the HSE Dr Peter Finnegan said the public health team was available to advise the school at all times. He advised parents to keep sick children at home for seven days from the onset of symptoms and said children who were sick at school would be sent home.

"Staying at home when sick will allow a child to rest and allows carers to monitor their health closely. It also protects other children and staff members especially those at higher risk of severe illness from flu," he said.

More than 800 swine flu cases have been confirmed in Ireland since the outbreak began, with 80 per cent of those affecting people under 35. Two people have died.


http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0909/breaking70.htm

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Swine flu outbreak at Cavan school

Swine flu at second Cavan school

EITHNE DONNELLAN, Health Correspondent

A SECOND outbreak of swine flu at a Cavan school was being investigated by the Health Service Executive (HSE) last night.

The latest probable outbreak is at Breffni College secondary school where at least one case of the H1N1 virus has been confirmed and where about 20 other students presented with flu-like symptoms yesterday afternoon.

The HSE said it was working closely with the school and the principal would be writing to all parents. It stressed the school remained open, but students with symptoms should stay at home for seven days.

Laragh National School, also in Cavan, where an outbreak of swine flu was confirmed on Wednesday, also remains open.

At least four cases of H1N1 virus have been confirmed among students attending the school, but several other students who were never tested are recovering at home from symptoms of the virus.

Dr Darina O?Flanagan, director of the national Health Protection Surveillance Centre, said most of those who had been absent from the school had not been sufficiently ill to need to see a GP.

Dr Kevin Kelleher, assistant national director of population health with the HSE, said there had also been a number of outbreaks, varying in size, at other schools.

It is understood a small number of cases were also confirmed at two Cork schools this week.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health, at its weekly media briefing on swine flu yesterday, confirmed five more people were hospitalised with swine flu in the past week, but rates of the viral infection in the community remain relatively stable.

Its chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said a total of 91 people have now been hospitalised with the H1N1 virus since the pandemic began, 24 of whom remain in hospital.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0911/1224254278378.html