Hepatitis A Virus Attacks High School Students in Depok

Posted on Dec 10, 2011

The Hepatitis A virus is again flexing its muscle and attacking school in Depok, West Java. This time the virus managed to infect 10 students from Depok High School No 4. Two of the students are declared positive to have been infected by the Hepatitis A virus while the rest are being diagnosed for having the same symptoms.

The infection was discovered when one of the student in 12 grades IPA complain of not feeling well, fatigue and missed the school on November 22, 2011. After that news almost simultaneously the rest of the infected students were also fell ill.

High School 2 in Depok where the first endemic started

“After receiving the report on Monday (05/12/2011), I immediately coordinate with the education department, health department and the nearest Sukatani people clinic. At the moment the team from the clinic is following closely the development and status of the kids” said Dede Agung the principal of Depok High School 4.

Dede said the infected kids varies from grade 10, 11 and 12 and to anticipate the spread of the virus on Wednesday (07/12/2011) a team from the clinic came to school to disseminate information to students so the infection like what happened at Depok High School No 2 early November does not repeat itself at Depok High School No 4.

Sukatani clinic team also examined other students that complain of not feeling well. “So far no further case has been discovered and no new report from teachers as well regarding students infected by the virus” explained Dede.

For students infected with the Hepatitis A, the school will have to tell them to stay at home even though at the moment the students are going through their final semester examination. The school has more than a thousand students with 56 teachers filling in 34 rooms in the building.

The cause for the infection has not been discovered and still being investigated.

Earlier in November, the Depok municipal government had to dismiss students from Depok High School No 2 and two other schools for more than a week for similar Hepatitis A infection. Within one month, more 90 students were infected causing the mayor of Depok, Nur Mahmudi Isma’il to declare an emergency.

In that case the cause of the infection was discovered to be the unhealthy eating pattern by the teachers as well as students in the said school.