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Bengaluru school shuts down over flu concerns, government denies H1N1 outbreak
Over 500 students and several staff members at Clarence High School in Bengaluru reported flu-like symptoms; two H1N1 cases confirmed.
Karnataka typically sees two seasonal peaks in influenza cases each year — one between January and March, and another between July and September, coinciding with the monsoon. (Representational image)
Regular offline classes at a private school in Bengaluru’s Richards Town have been suspended for several days since August 12 after over 500 students and several staff members reported flu-like symptoms, while the government denied reports of the students testing positive for H1N1.
Clarence High School, which has around 2,500 students, said at least two H1N1 cases had been confirmed and that one staff member was hospitalised. As a precautionary measure, the school was closed on August 12 and remained shut from August 14 to 18.
The school administration told The Indian Express that more than 500 students and 21 staff members were absent on August 13. It said the students were absent for various reasons, including illness among siblings and precautionary measures taken by families, while 21 staff members had reportedly fallen ill.
“We are closely monitoring the health of our students and staff. Online classes are being conducted for the days the school remains shut. The school will reopen tomorrow, August 19,” the administration said.
However, Karnataka Health Commissioner Gurudutt Hegde on Tuesday sought to allay concerns over reports of an H1N1 outbreak in schools, saying claims that around 500 students had tested positive for the infection were “false”. He said only two teachers had tested positive and were undergoing treatment.
While some students had reported influenza-like symptoms and were being examined, no student had tested positive for H1N1, Hegde said. He also dismissed reports that students were staying away from school due to fears of an outbreak.
Nearby street vendors cleared
The school had raised concerns over what it described as unhygienic conditions around its premises, particularly the presence of several street vendors operating near the school gates.
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The school administration also said civic authorities had intervened over sanitation concerns and the presence of street vendors around the school. Following intervention by local MLA A C Srinivas, the vendors flagged by the school were cleared from the area, it said.
The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) held a sanitation programme on Wednesday, during which the area around the school was cleaned and sanitised, according to the school administration.
“The civic authorities have helped us with sanitation and clearing the area,” the administration said, adding that the health of students and staff who had fallen ill was being closely monitored.
In its representation, the school alleged that vendors selling food and beverages from footpaths were leaving waste behind, creating unsanitary conditions around the campus. It flagged a tender coconut vendor near the kindergarten gate, a kebab vendor at the Pottery Road-John Armstrong Road junction and a petty shop opposite one of the school gates selling aerated drinks and snacks.
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
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