SOLOMON STUDENTS AT RISK

SOLOMON Islands students studying in Fiji want to return home for fear of contracting the influenza A (H1N1) or swine flu virus.

And they are calling on the national government and responsible authorities to make necessary arrangement for their return to Solomon Islands.

Rockinson Faga, a student at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, said with the increasing number of swine flu cases in Fiji, they feared being infected.

“We are worried about the situation because our lives are in danger as the infection continues to increase here.

“We want the government and health authorities (in SI) to take our request seriously because it would be a burden for the country if we are infected.

“For the next few months, probably some of us will likely to be infected due to the current weather here,” he claimed in an email to Solomon Star yesterday.

Fiji’s confirmed number of pandemic H1N1 2009 cases has now risen to 10 - three of whom are children under the age of eight.

Fiji Times Online reported last weekend that of the latest 15 samples collected and tested, four people have the potentially deadly strain.

Mr Faga said it would be a disaster for the country if the returning students and their families are all infected and tested positive with the virus.

The government must act quickly to transport us back home, he said.

“Please responsible authorities, do something as our lives are at risk.

“We are being pushed out of the campus, which is more susceptible to the disease,” he said.

Moving out of campus, he said, would put them in a situation susceptible to the infection.

Mr Faga said the university administration had request all students to vacate the campus for the youth festival.

He said most students, including those from Vanuatu, have returned to their respective countries.

Solomon Star could not reach responsible government authorities for comment last night.