The Ministry of Health is insisting there is no need for panic, despite the closure of all 69 primary and secondary schools in Manchester following the confirmation of two cases of influenza A (H1N1) infections.

The cases include a student at a preparatory school in Mandeville, where 13 per cent of the school population has reported flu-like symptoms.

"There is no need for people to panic," Health Minister Rudyard Spencer told The Gleaner yesterday. "We are just concerned and, in trying to protect the nation ... we decided to go that route (of closing the schools)."

The news of the school closures sent many residents of Manchester into a frenzy yesterday afternoon.

Many people were seen in the Manchester capital, Mandeville, wearing masks or using handkerchiefs to cover their noses and mouths after news broke about the confirmed cases yesterday.

Rush to pick up children

Parents also rushed to pick up their children from as early as noon, at both private and public schools.

"It (the closure) will affect all our planned programmes. Everything we have now is on hold. But we have to survive," said Byron Farquharson, principal of the Mandeville Primary School.

End-of-year exams were put off and graduation exercises cancelled as the ministry said it was taking no chances.

Yesterday's confirmed cases,along with two others on the weekend, bring the total number of confirmed cases on the island to 19 since last month.

Up to late yesterday, the health ministry said it could not confirm a local spread of the virus as it was still conducting tests.

"We are investigating. When we are finished, then we will say what is happening," said Dr Marion Bullock-Ducasse, director of emergency services in the Ministry of Health.

"The health team is in the field. As usual, we would contact the persons who had direct contact with the cases and then do their tests," she added.

The Gleaner understands that hospital officials at the Mandeville Regional Hospital were kept busy on the weekend as suspected cases of the H1N1 infection began flooding the emergency room from Thursday.

Alarm in manchester

However, it was yesterday's release from the education ministry that caused anxiety in Manchester.

The ministry reported that two students had been found to be infected with the virus. However, the Ministry of Health later stated that only one child and an adult were infected.

The child is said to be a student at a preparatory school in the parish capital, which has since closed temporarily as a precaution. The child started to show symptoms last week and was taken to a doctor. A number of other students at the school have since been showing flu-like symptoms.

Other preparatory schools, including West Indies College Prep, Mount St Joseph and Belair Prep, have also closed their doors as a precaution.

"Although students will be proceeding on an early summer vacation, where there are instances of students showing flu-like symptoms, the matter must be brought to the attention of the relevant health authorities and reported to the Ministry of Education," the ministry advised yesterday.

- Correspondents Richard Bryan and Angelo Laurence contributed to this story.