Over 500 Students Fall Ill in Flu Outbreak at Clarence High School in Richards Town

More than 500 students and 21 staff members at Clarence High School in Richards Town, Bengaluru, have fallen ill with fever, cold, cough, and body aches following a severe seasonal flu-like illness outbreak, school authorities confirmed.

Following the widespread outbreak, the school administration announced that the institution will remain closed until August 18. According to a letter released by the school, at least two H1N1 cases have been confirmed among those affected, and one staff member is currently receiving treatment at Bangalore Baptist Hospital.

Alongside the health outbreak, the school administration raised serious concerns regarding the presence of several street food and other commercial vendors operating directly outside the school gates. The authorities alleged that unhygienic conditions and persistent waste accumulation caused by these stalls could pose additional health and safety risks to students.

In its complaint, the school specifically accused vendors of blocking its kindergarten entrance gate situated on Clarke Road and creating waste accumulation in the immediate surroundings. The administration also highlighted that a kebab vendor operating near the junction of Pottery Road and John Armstrong Road has been causing ongoing waste and sanitation issues.

In response to the situation, the school management has sought immediate health and safety inspections of all food vendors operating in the vicinity. Additionally, it urged civic authorities to enforce stricter restrictions on the sale of junk food near educational institutions.

The school confirmed that it has already approached both the Educational Officer and the City Corporation Health Officer, requesting urgent intervention to address the civic and sanitation concerns outside the campus.

Urging the authorities to step in before the situation escalates, the school stated in its communication, “We are not panicking. We are managing. But we cannot do it alone.”