Bogota authorities closed two schools Thursday to prevent a possible spreading of the AH1N1 virus.
The decision to cancel classes in the schools Gimnasio FAbio Caldas and Nueva Republica de Chile was made after relatives of the 24-year-old woman, who was the first AH1N1 patient to die, attended the two institutions, El Espectador reported.
Colombian health authorities Wednesday decided to change the protocol to identify
suspected cases of AH1N1 to prevent more deaths. More cases will now be subjected to thorough research.
Before, only people who had been to Mexico and the United States who
showed flu-like symptoms were to be considered suspicious cases, but
after the death of the 24-year old woman from Bogota who met none of the
criteria died of the virus, authorities are forced to change the
protocol.
Everyone presenting flu-like symptoms exceeding a 101
degrees Fahrenheit (38.5 Celsius), severe headache, vomiting or
diarrhea, will be considered as a suspicious case and subjected to
tests to determine what is causing the symptoms, Bogota’s health secretary Hector Zambrano told Caracol Radio.