KUMACA deaths: Each bereaved family receives GHC5,000 from government

Government has presented an initial amount of GHC5,000 each to families of deceased students of the Kumasi Academy Senior High School.

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia who made the presentation on Friday evening when he met with the bereaved families and school authorities in Kumasi to express the government’s condolences, also announced that the government will foot the hospital and funerals expenses of the departed student who died last week.

Four students, a girl and three boys 2009 also known as the Swine flu in the past one week.

Addressing the media Thursday, the Health Minister disclosed that 19 tests conducted by the Nogouchi Memorial Institute confirmed Influenza H1N1 209 as the cause of the deaths and not meningitis as earlier suspected.

Hon. Agyeman-Manu also stated that seven students who died in the school earlier in April this year died from meningitis.

He assured that the outbreak has been confined to the Kumasi Academy and not likely to spread beyond the school.

“Of the nineteen samples sent to Nogouchi…report from further tests was received confirming H1NI 209 pandemic outbreak. Based on this…we wish to indicate..an outbreak of acute respiratory infection with severe presentation and some resulting in deaths,” Hon. Agyeman-Manu said.

The Minister also confirmed that 44 students have been infected and are currently receiving treatment.

He appealed to parents not to panic and return their children who have been taken home.