Palau's President Johnson Toribiong has ordered the postponement of the opening of Palau schools as a preventive measure to minimize the impact of swine flu.
Schools were to open today but under executive order, the opening date has been pushed to August 24.
President Toribiong noted that the Ministry of Health has strongly recommended the postponement as a precautionary measure to further limit and minimize the spread of the H1N1 influenza and influenza like illnesses in Palau.
Palau's Health Minister, Stevenson Kuartei, told reporters that there have been 712 influenza like illnesses in Palau and at the alternative care sites, there have been 30 patients per day.
Those mostly affected are 5 years old to over 55 years old.
The delayed opening applies only to public schools.
