Medical experts have diagnosed seasonal influenza as the cause of sickness in 110 students and teachers at a central China school, ruling out food poisoning, which was previously suspected.

According to Henan provincial health authorities, 11 students had been discharged from hospital by Wednesday morning, and 57 students and four teachers were still being treated in three local hospitals.

Medical experts have diagnosed seasonal influenza as the cause of sickness in 110 students and teachers at a central China school, ruling out food poisoning, which was previously suspected. [Xinhua]

On Sunday, about 110 students and teachers, who were at Xinghua Public School, in Xinmi city, for extra lessons during the summer holiday, developed symptoms of diarrhea, dizziness and fever.

Food poisoning was suspected, but experts from the provincial center of disease control and prevention confirmed Wednesday the cause was seasonal flu. They also ruled out A/H1N1 flu as the cause.

Founded in August 1997, the school has 24 primary and 20 junior middle school classes, with 2,000 students. About 500 were taking extra lessons over the summer holiday.

After the flu outbreak, the extra lessons were suspended, and classrooms and dorms at the school were sterilized to kill the virus.

(Xinhua News Agency August 12, 2009)