The Philippine authorities on Wednesday ordered suspension of classes in a major university in Manila after one of the school's foreign exchange students was found to have been infected with the A/H1N1 influenza virus.

The Department of Health said the patient was a 21-year-old female student of the De La Salle University who arrived in the country on May 12. School authorities were only alerted after she reported flu-like symptoms on May 29, four days later when classes started after a two-month summer break.

The health authorities did not reveal where the student came from and how many people she had close contact with but only said in a press release that according to initial findings "there is very limited exposure of other students to the confirmed case."

Classes will be suspended at the University from Thursday till June 14, the health department said, adding that all the students, including those who are not in the same class with the patient, are advised to do self-monitoring of symptoms at home.

They are also advised to shun crowded public venues such as malls and markets.

De La Salle University is one of the biggest schools in the Philippines. It hosts to more than 15,000 students and the staff.

"I express my full cooperation with the DOH (Department of Health) and La Salle will immediately invoke the recommended measures," Armin Luistro, the university president, said.

With the latest case, the total number of confirmed flu A/H1N1 cases in the Philippines amounted to 22, 14 of whom have recovered and returned home after quarantined treatment in hospital.

According to the tally of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Philippines reports the most A/H1N1 cases among the Southeast Asian nations, but local health officials maintained that the situation is under control as there is yet an outbreak in communities.

(Xinhua News Agency June 4, 2009)