MANILA - The grade school and high school departments of the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) on Tuesday became part of the growing list of schools closing due to cases of influenza A (H1N1), after three high school students fell ill due to the virus.

The Ateneo High School (AHS) announced Tuesday afternoon that classes will be suspended for ten days, beginning Wednesday, June 10, after the confirmation of three A (H1N1) flu cases among its students.

Classes will resume on Monday, June 22.

"The results of the three boys who tested positive for the H1N1 virus were received by AHS Principal Father Raymund-Benedict Q. Hizon, S.J., at 4:30 p.m. on June 9. He noted that all three cases are mild," a statement posted at the ADMU website (www.ateneo.edu) stated.

"The three infected boys are in fact already feeling better, and were advised to rest at home and continue with their self-quarantine, with no need for hospitalization," the statement said.

"Anyone who exhibits flu-like symptoms between now and June 20 is advised to call hotline 426-5930 during office hours or call/text 0918-9144633 for instructions on how to proceed," the statement said.

The designated referral center closest to the Ateneo de Manila is the Lung Center of the Philippines at Quezon Avenue (924-6101 & 924-0707). The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (809-7599) and the San Lazaro Hospital (732-3776 to 78) are also referral centers. 

Grade school suspension 'precautionary measure'

As a precautionary measure, the Ateneo Grade School (AGS) also announced a two-day suspension of classes, scheduled on June 10 and 11.

This despite the AGS administration confirming that the three patients from the high school have "no siblings" in the grade school.

"The members of the AGS community are advised to wait for further developments via the web, as the school awaits DOH clearance," the AGS statement said, adding that offices will remain open despite the suspension.

Earlier Tuesday, the College of Saint Benilde (CSB) in Manila and Saint Andrew's School in Parañaque moved the start of their classes to a later date due to confirmed cases of A (H1N1) flu. CSB will resume classes on the 19th, while St. Andrew's will resume on the 22nd.

De La Salle University, a sister school of CSB, was the first school to suspend classes due to a confirmed case of A (H1N1) flu among their student populaton. With a report from Jing Castañeda, ABS-CBN News