One student from Siakago Girls Secondary School in Mbeere North district, Eastern Province has been admitted to the district hospital with symptoms suspected to be those of the AH1N1 flu.

Other students from the school have been quarantined after they were suspected to have contacted the AH1N1 flu.

Mbeere District Medical Officer of Health (MOH) Dr. Stephen Kaniaru said the victims were coughing, sneezing and complained of sore throats which can be symptoms of the flu.

He said initially 183 students were treated at the district hospital on Monday afternoon for common flu but more students fell ill on Tuesday.

"The flu seems to be highly contagious and half of the school has now been infected," said the doctor adding that 255 students have been quarantined.

The school has a student population of 454 girls.

Analysis

Dr. Kaniaru said a student from St. Joseph Seminary Molo where a flu outbreak has also been reported also visited the hospital with AH1N1 flu-like symptoms.

"He has a sister at Siakago Girls and their mother has also exhibited similar symptoms," said the MOH adding that samples from the victims have been taken to Nairobi for analysis.

To contain the spread of the flu in the school one dormitory has been set aside for the victims as they await the results of the analysis.

The MOH said medical personnel have been sent to the school to deal with the outbreak and enforce a movement ban to minimize the spread of the virus.

"We have appealed for supply of drugs to treat the flu incase the students are confirmed to be AH1N1 positive," he said.

Dr Kaniaru said the girl who is admitted to the hospital has also been isolated in the ward and was responding well to treatment.

On Tuesday the government confirmed that 191 of AH1N1 flu had been confirmed in the country out of which 45 were in secondary schools.

However the Director of Medical Services Dr Shahnaz Sharif reassured Kenyans that the flu in the country is a mild strain an that there is no need to close the affected schools.