The public Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has confirmed an outbreak of H3N2 Flu in three senior high schools in the Eastern Region.
Responding to an update report circulating on social media, Dr. Badu Sarkodie who is the Director in charge of Public Health at GHS confirmed to Rite News the directorate received report of unusual high cases of suspected flu cases from three secondary schools in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality.
The schools affected are Krobo Girls, Akuse Methodist Senior High Schools and Legacy Girls College – a private Seniro High School on Akuse road.
Even though some laboratory test on samples collected from affected students proved H3N2 flu, the GHS is in control and victims are responding well to medications.
“At this point, I can say that, the situation is under control and I encourage parents not to panic, but rather advise their wards to cooperate with the health and school authorities, practice and enhance personal hygiene and cough etiquette as suggested by the health teams,” Dr. Sarkodie told Rite News’ Austin Ofori Addo.
Students and the entire public are cautioned to wash their hands with soap under running water, and also observe common cough etiquette such as covering the mouth with handkerchief before cough.
While some media reportage indicated a total of about 400 affected students across the 3 schools, Dr. Badu Sarkodie admitted the numbers were huge, but it is scary to put the figures out.
Students, simultaneously started reporting at various hospitals in Manya Krobo enclave at the same time with headache, fever, and sore throat.
When Rite FM’s Ommanba Kodwo Boafo visited Akuse Senior High School last Saturday, a teacher (name withheld) said, the incident happened last year but the numbers recorded in the past two weeks were many. He further said, some mildly affected students were allowed to go home for further treatment while seriously sick ones were quarantined at the school’s sick bay.
Also, Austin Ofori Addo who reported from the Krobo Girls SHS said, roads leading to the school were blocked at the entrances as at Saturday to deny the public access into the school. The main gate to the school was also closed where the security did not allow the public to enter.
Some three quarantined students who spoke to the reporter on anonymity said, it started as headache and end up in sore throat, pains along the spine and vomiting.
According to medical scientists, influenza A virus subtype H3N2 (A/H3N2) is a subtype of viruses that causes influenza (flu). H3N2 viruses can infect birds and mammals. In birds, humans, and pigs, the virus has mutated into many strains. In years in which H3N2 is the predominate strain, there are more hospitalizations.
Source: Ghana/ritefmonline.org/Rite 90.1 FM
