Thirteen suspected cases of swine flu – 11 students and two teachers – were reported in Riyadh and Makkah, Monday. One of the teachers is receiving treatment for “high fever” at Al-Noor Hospital in Makkah since the beginning of the week, although there has still been no confirmation that he is infected with H1N1 virus. A high school in Riyadh's Swaidi District reported three suspected cases, said Abdulaziz Al-Yusuf, head of the Education Supervision Office in Swaidi. The three students had high temperatures, but precautionary measures were taken following the Ministry of Education's swine flu health plans, he added. The students were referred to the student health unit for further examination. Eight students across the schools in the city were reported to have H1N1 symptoms. Meanwhile, as a precautionary measure the Education Department in Makkah has suspended the morning assembly of the students in schools operating in rented buildings that have no open yards. “Suspending the morning lineup is only a precaution,” the department said, adding that isolation rooms are not available in some rented schools. King Saud University (KSU), meanwhile, will hold an awareness lecture for its students on swine flu at the Main Conference Hall at 12:30 P.M. Wednesday, delivered by Dr. Muased Al-Hamza, member of the Anti-Epidemic Disease Committee at KSU. The KSU students will be educated on the complications of the deadly virus and means of protection against it, said Muhammad Al-Othman, Dean of the Preparatory Year Students at KSU. They would be also encouraged to share the information with their families and friends, he added. The university distributed over 18,000 swine flu leaflets to 6,000 newly-admitted students on the first day of school as part of their orientation welcome package. Swine flu posters have been put up across the deanship, in addition to 200 disinfectant dispensers at classroom doors, Al-Othman said. – Okaz/SG – Abdulkareem Al-Marba and Ali Gharsan also contributed to the report. __
