Seven junior high school students from the same class and suffering from respiratory illness were tested negative for Influenza A (H1N1) virus, the Health Bureau announced today.

The Bureau received the group infection report yesterday, which stated that the seven students from Form 2C of Escola Secundária Luso-Chinesa Luís Gonzaga Gomes had developed fever, sore throat and cough.

They were later tested negative for Influenza A (H1N1) virus. None of them had left Macao recently.

The Bureau had instructed the school to always keep its areas clean, sterilise its facilities, maintain good ventilation in all classrooms and strictly prohibit sick students from attending class.

Meanwhile, the Tertiary Education Services Office urged Macao students studying abroad to stay alert to the spread of the virus. When they feel sick, they should not take any vehicles for long distance travel and should see a local doctor immediately.

If they feel sick when they arrive in Macao, they should report to the medical teams at the terminal. If they feel sick in the two weeks after returning to Macao, they should wear a facemask and see a doctor at the hospital and report their activities abroad.

The Hospital Conde S. Januário treated 56 children and 49 adults with respiratory illness symptoms today and medical teams at terminals checked body temperatures of more than 131,000 people entering Macao. They also dealt with 191 enquiries

To date there is no probable or confirmed human case of influenza A (H1N1) reported in Macao.