Flu closes schools in Nyanga

Cletus Mushanawani Mutare Bureau
AN acute Respiratory Infection has affected over 300 people in Nyanga, prompting the Ministry of Health and Child Care to recommend the early closure of three schools.

Although Manicaland Provincial Medical Director Dr Patron Mafaune was not readily available for comment as she was said to be out of Mutare, while her mobile phone was not reachable, her education counterpart Mr Edward Shumba confirmed the development.

The most-affected area is the prime potato-producing area of Bende where health officials recommended the closure of Bende Primary and Secondary schools as well as the Roman Catholic Church-run Mt Melleray Primary School.

Mt Melleray enrols both borders and day scholars and there were fears that the day scholars might infect their boarding counterparts.

Mt Melleray sent an urgent notice to parents with children enrolled at the school to come and pick their children.

The notice read: “The Ministry of Primary and Secondary School Education through its district office has instructed Mt Melleray Primary School to close with immediate effect due to an outbreak of Acute Respiratory Infection in Bende area. So kindly come and collect your children today (August 8, 2017 or tomorrow, August 8, 2017 latest.”

Mr Shumba said about 300 pupils at both Bende Primary and Secondary schools were affected by the early closure of the schools.

“As for Mt Melleray, it is news to me that they were affected by the early closure of their school. When health officials recommended the early closure of the affected schools, I was in touch with our permanent secretary, Dr Sylvia Utete-Masango who gave us the nod for the schools to be closed early.

“We were advised that the disease is highly contagious, a reason why we recommended the early closure of the schools. The move is in the best interest of us the education authorities, the pupils and the community at large as more controlling measures will be put in place,” he said.

Health officials in Nyanga who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the outbreak, which affected mostly children aged between zero and 17 years was first recorded last week and the figures continued swelling until health officials from the District Medical Office had to be deployed there as an outreach clinic.

“We heard that on Friday the number of children who failed to report to school had risen and we had to go there on Saturday. We were told that by Friday 114 people had been infected.

“Those who contracted the infectious disease are complaining of coughing, flu and headache. They were also having high temperature,” said the source.

The source added: “When we arrived there on Saturday morning, about 30 people were already gathered. The number continued swelling and by the end of the day 372 patients had been attended to, 300 of the patients were children aged between zero and 17 years.

“No-one was admitted. The situation is under control and there is no need to press the panic baton.”

Nyanga District Medical Officer, Dr Admore Jokwiro could not confirm the outbreak and referred all questions to Dr Mafaune.