The Ministry of Health has advised that classes resume at the Troumaca Secondary School on Monday, Sept. 23, one week after it was closed following the outbreak of an illness in the Chateaubelair district that sickened 46 people.
The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment said on Friday that it was continuing to conduct active surveillance in the Chateaubelair district in order to monitor the increase in acute illness reported.
As of Friday, 46 cases were reported and the Ministry said it was still awaiting test results from specimens submitted to the Caribbean Public Health Agency.
The Ministry, however, said that in the meantime it has recommended that the Ministry of Education re-open the Troumaca Secondary School on Monday as the occurrence of new cases was declining.
“At this time, the Ministry continues to urge strict hand washing practices along with heightened hygiene such as covering the mouth while sneezing and coughing. In the event that you become ill with symptoms such as a high fever, cough and body aches, it is advised that you remain at home, from work or school in order to reduce the risk of transmission,” the release said.
The Troumaca Secondary School was closed last week after Ministry of Health, through what it described as routine surveillance, became aware that the largest number of patients seeking medical attention for an acute illness in the Chateaubelair health district were from the Troumaca Secondary School.