Respiratory illnesses prompt cancellation of key KZN school fixture.
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A highly anticipated sports showdown between Hilton College and Durban High School (DHS) has been called off at the eleventh hour as a wave of illness sweeps through one of KwaZulu-Natal's top boys' schools.
In a joint statement, headmasters George Harris and Tony Pinheiro confirmed the decision, revealing that Hilton College has been hit by a surge in contagious viral infections.
"Unfortunately, Hilton College currently has a significant number of boys suffering from various viral infections affecting the upper and lower respiratory tract, presenting as forms of influenza and considered contagious."
The sudden outbreak has sparked serious health concerns, forcing both schools to pull the plug on the weekend fixture.
The decision, they stressed, followed urgent consultations with medical experts.
"After consultation with a number of medical professionals and in the interests of safety and appropriate care and consideration for boys from both schools, we have decided jointly to cancel the fixture this weekend."
While disappointment is inevitable, the schools made it clear that the call was unavoidable for the safety of all.
"This decision has not been taken lightly, and we delayed it until this late stage in the hope that the health situation would improve, thereby avoiding the need to make this call," they said.
Plans are now underway to possibly reschedule the clash later in the season.
South Africa's flu season typically comes in the winter months. According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), the influenza season usually runs from May to August, often peaking between June and August, although it can start earlier in some years.
"As in other temperate Southern and Northern Hemisphere countries, South Africa experiences seasonal influenza epidemics every winter," the organisation said.
Influenza can be difficult to distinguish from other respiratory viruses, as it often presents with a sudden onset of fever, body aches, cough, sore throat, runny nose and headaches, it added.
While most cases clear within a week, the NICD said symptoms like fatigue and coughing can linger, and in some instances, the illness can lead to more serious complications, including pneumonia or secondary infections.
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