Armenia’s chief infection specialist said today that Armenia’s institutes of higher education may be closed early for winter break, due to the spread of seasonal flu.

Earlier this week, a recommendation by Ara Asoyan, head of Nork Hospital for Infectious Diseases, was adopted by the Ministry of Education, as the ministry closed primary schools until at least December 21.

It is considered now that universities – previously at liberty to independently decide whether to close – would be ordered shut beginning December 13. Asoyan said that the higher institutions were not closed in tandem with primary schools, because older students “are adults and they understand what prophylactics means.” (See related article: “Unfair Treatment?”)

There was also reluctance to close universities while they are in pre-examination sessions. The decision whether to close will affect some 81,000 students at 23 higher education institutions across Armenia. If universities close, semester examinations would necessarily have to be delayed until after New Year, rather than before the holiday break.

In the Thursday press conference Asoyan also confirmed that as of December 10, 54 cases of H1N1 “swine flu” virus are registered in Armenia, among which are 26 children. The Ministry of Health reports that as of December 10, 31,467 cases of seasonal flu are (officially) registered in Armenia.