MANILA, Philippines – There is no need to declare a health emergency in Metro Manila schools even after a number of students were confirmed to have the Influenza A(H1N1) virus, an education official said.

The number of public and private schools that had confirmed cases were still “insignificant” when compared to the total number of schools in the metropolis, said Department of Education-National Capital Region director Teresita Domalanta.

“We have 684 public elementary and high schools and their annexes so the number is still insignificant. How can we say that the number is growing significantly? We also have more than 1,700 private elementary schools and 800 private high schools,” Domalanta said.

She noted that there were only two public schools -- Lagro Elementary School (two confirmed cases) in Novaliches, Quezon City, and the Don Alejandro Roces National High School (one case), also in Quezon City -- that had suspended classes due to the virus.

Lagro Elementary suspended its classes for 10 days starting on Monday while Roces suspended classes beginning Wednesday, Domalanta said.

She said the latest school to have a confirmed case was the high school department of the Lourdes College of Mandaluyong.

“We have one confirmed case there as of today [Thursday]. We are constantly monitoring the situation,” she said.

Domalanta said the other private schools that had students with the A (H1N1) virus were Ateneo High School, the Our Lady of Perpetual Succor in Marikina, Dominican College in San Juan, and Miriam College High School.

“Miriam said they had one confirmed case but this was even before classes opened and the student went on self-quarantine so they said there was no need to suspend classes,” she said.