After more than 500 students fell sick due to a seasonal flu-like illness and two H1N1 cases were confirmed among staff members, Clarence High School in Bengaluru was closed from August 14 to 18.
In a letter addressed to civic authorities, Commodore Prem Reuben, Administrator, Clarence High School, stated, “There is a growing health crisis at Clarence High School, Richards Town, Bengaluru, that demands immediate intervention.
More than 500 students (20% of our 2,500-strong student body) and 21 staff members are absent due to fever, cold, cough, and body ache.
He said, “There is no link between street vendors selling food and hundreds of children falling sick in Clarence School.
Gurudatta Hegde, Commissioner, Health and Family Welfare Department, said, “Two staff members have tested positive for H1N1 in Clarence school.
After more than 500 students fell sick due to a seasonal flu-like illness and two H1N1 cases were confirmed among staff members, Clarence High School in Bengaluru was closed from August 14 to 18. Classes were shifted online.
In a letter addressed to civic authorities, Commodore Prem Reuben, Administrator, Clarence High School, stated, “There is a growing health crisis at Clarence High School, Richards Town, Bengaluru, that demands immediate intervention. More than 500 students (20% of our 2,500-strong student body) and 21 staff members are absent due to fever, cold, cough, and body ache. We have at least two confirmed cases of H1N1, and one staff member is currently undergoing treatment in Bangalore Baptist Hospital.”
Initially, the school authorities had closed the institution on August 12 as a precautionary measure. The letter stated that later, they decided to keep it closed from August 14 to 18.
What school authorities say
A representative of the Clarence High School administration told The Hindu, “As a precautionary measure, we have closed Montessori school while students of classes 1 to 5 restarted school from Tuesday (August 18). Students are getting better. Hence, offline classes are being conducted. However, for students from class 6 to 10, classes are being held online.”
Mr. Reuben, in his letter, has blamed street vendors around the school for the breakout. He also cited the condition of the surroundings of the school. “The area around the school is inevitably left dirty and unhygienic, contributing to the spread of illness and disease,” he wrote.
GBA says no link, no outbreak
However, Siddapaji Gowda, Health Officer, GBA, Bengaluru North, denied the allegations. He said, “There is no link between street vendors selling food and hundreds of children falling sick in Clarence School. It is not an outbreak, but a common cold that is contagious, airborne and spreads from one person to another. It is not because of the food outside. Probably it was not detected earlier in the school. The disease has spread among students. Only two staff members have been detected with H1N1, a strain or influenza sub-type.”
Pommala Sunil Kumar, Commissioner, Bengaluru North City Corporation, inspected the school premises. He also instructed the school management to share only responsible and verified information regarding flu infection, so as to prevent unnecessary anxiety, fear and confusion among students, parents, teachers and the general public. Active surveillance will be continued at the school for the next 15 days by GBA Health Department officials, he said.
Gurudatta Hegde, Commissioner, Health and Family Welfare Department, said, “Two staff members have tested positive for H1N1 in Clarence school. They are in the recovery stage now. There is no outbreak in the school among children. We learnt that nearly 500 students were absent, mainly due to panic. No child has tested positive for H1N1. I have instructed officials to test if any child is found symptomatic.”
