Students of Krobo girls SHS, others quarantined following A3 influenza outbreak
Some students of Krobo Girls’ SHS, Legacy Girls College, and the Akuse Methodist Senior Technical School have been quarantined after a number of them reported ill with very similar symptoms suspected to be A3 influenza.
Preliminary medical tests on the students by health authorities in the Region proved positive for A3 Influenza but further studies are being carried out.
The affected students, reportedly numbering 300 from Krobo Girls, 45 from Amest and 15 from Legacy College, are being monitored and receiving treatment.
According to the Eastern Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Albert Antobreh-Boateng the outbreak was recorded after students from the said schools – all within the Lower Manya Krobo District – participated in a debate competition.
He noted that health officials have been able to put the situation under control and the affected students would be able to resume lessons next week.
“In Krobo Girls, those who were infected were still going to classes so they were re-infecting themselves. So we had to stop those who were sick from going to classes. We have put all of them in one class and they are being cared for by a team. Another team is also caring for those who keep reporting the same symptoms,” he said
“Those who are very ill, we either put them on chemifloc or we give them ordinary symptomatic treatment. We have had positive cases when the test was done for A3. It is a seasonal flu and it’s not dangerous. The other two schools are Akuse Methodist Technical School and Legacy Girls School”, he added.
Influenza A3 is a variant of the influenza virus, also known as the “seasonal flu”. Particles from an infected person can be encountered through physical contact, airborne particles, or contact with surfaces and objects that have become infected.
Symptoms do not differ greatly from other strains of the influenza virus and include fever, body and joint ache, fatigue, dry cough, runny nose, and sore throat.