Health Minister Rudyard Spencer has admitted that there is now a local spread of the influenza A (H1N1) virus following yesterday's confirmation of 19 cases of the flu in the island.

On Monday, the minister had said there was no local spread of the virus following his ministry's confirmation of four more cases, including two cases in Manchester, which forced the Education Ministry to close all schools in that parish.

Yesterday, however, he said there was now local transmission of the virus and urged the public not to panic as the health ministry had the issue under control.

"This development is not unexpected and is in keeping with the pattern of transmission globally," Spencer told parliament yesterday.

"We expect that we will continue to see an increase in the number of confirmed cases, especially in light of the mobility of the Jamaican people within and without our borders," he said.

infected

In responding to questions raised by opposition members after his presentation yesterday, Spencer added that there was no need at this time to ban public gatherings as the numbers of those infected was sparse across the 14 parishes.

He said the ministry's surveillance system remained robust and had been providing up-to-date information on early detection. He added that the ministry continued to adhere to international guidelines and for testing and treatment of people with flu-like symptoms.

Samples, he said, were being sent to the National Influenza Centre at the University Hospital of the West Indies, as well as to a regional centre in Trinidad and Tobago.

He said the country had more than adequate supplies of drugs to treat the virus, given recent donation of drugs from Mexico.

"The H1N1 virus is a public-health threat of national concern. We are not taking this matter lightly," the minister told parliament.

"We have a team of competent public-health specialists and managers who have a fine reputation nationally and internationally for successfully managing public-health risks," he continued.

"The country and our people are in good hands," he said.

But even as he urged calm, panic remained rife in Manchester, where only a day before, all public schools and some private institutions closed temporarily on the instructions of the Education Ministry.

flu-like symptoms

It was confirmed yesterday that one child who attended a preparatory school in the parish capital, Mandeville, had been infected. Thirteen per cent of the school population later began showing flu-like symptoms.

Since yesterday's announcement, pharmacies in Mandeville have been flooded by customers seeking to purchase gloves and masks to prevent being infected by the virus.

But the announcement has also left some parents concerned, as some are unable to leave their children at home.

One teacher, who had two children attending the same school at which she taught, said she had to take her children with her to the school yesterday because she was afraid to leave them at a day-care centre.

"The ministry closed the schools, but there is no word on day-cares. What will happen now that most students could congregate there?" she questioned.

The ministry says it has issued no directive or advice for day-care facilities to be closed, as no cases have been detected there.