BORONGAN, Eastern Samar – Two elementary schools in Eastern Samar suspended classes on Friday after a total of 14 pupils tested positive for the H1N1 virus, the provincial health office reported.

Eleven of the patients are students of the Eugenio Daza Pilot Elementary School in Borongan while the other three study at the Guiuan Elementary School in Guiuan town, 100 kilometers from Borongan.

Niña Villalon, Eastern Samar schools division superintendent, said the suspension of classes in these two schools would last through July 21.

Concesa Balanga, spokesperson of the Eastern Samar provincial health office, said the two public schools had informed the authorities that some of their pupils had flu-like symptoms -- 17 at the Eugenio Daza Pilot Elementary School and 19 at the Guiuan Elementary School.

The regional health office sent an epidemiologist to take swab samples from all 36 pupils on July 2, Balang said, adding that the results were faxed to the provincial health office at dawn Friday.

Balanga said the pupils were advised to stay home and undergo self-quarantine.

The Eastern Samar provincial health office will provide them medicine as soon as the supplies arrive from their regional office, Balanga said.