By Sheila Crisostomo PHILIPPINE STAR
MANILA, Philippines – The country’s total count for Influenza A(H1N1) infections rose to 861 yesterday after 134 new cases were reported, the Department of Health (DOH) said.
Twenty-five children in Nasugbu, Batangas have tested positive for the virus.
But Health Secretary Francisco Duque III assured the public that all of the new cases are “mild” and they “are responding positively to treatment.”
The number of patients who have been cured, on the other hand, was placed at 634.
Duque said that of the 134 new cases, 118 were Filipinos while 20 have traveled to countries with confirmed cases of A(H1N1).
The youngest patient is two years old while the oldest is 58.
The DOH also released yesterday the revised guidelines on how to shift the A(H1N1) response system from containment to mitigation. This was done in consultation with the World Health Organization (WHO).
Duque explained that they decided to shift strategy because A(H1N1), as is the case worldwide, is “mild in nature” and most patients recover even before they start receiving medication. “This mitigation strategy will be implemented by area, where there is a community level transmission. We will be focusing on the seriously ill and those with pre-disposing illnesses,” he said.
Duque was referring to those with diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorders, asthma, tuberculosis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), cancer and complicated pregnancy and those who underwent organ transplant and who are above 60 years old and below five years old and with weak resistance. Under the new guidelines, anti-viral Oseltamivir will be given to confirmed cases with “severe progressive illness” and with “pre-existing or concurrent medical conditions that compromise the immune system or pulmonary functions.”
The DOH will also implement “selective laboratory confirmatory testing” to maximize the A(H1N1) test kits being imported from the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other countries.
Confirmatory test will only be administered on the first suspect case in a specific area or community; when doing random sampling of persons with influenza-like illnesses manifesting unusual symptoms or severity and suspected cases at high risk of developing complications.
The guidelines said that no laboratory follow-up tests are necessary prior to discharge.
In the old policy, infected patients are tested again before they are sent home.
It also stated that routine contact tracing will be conducted only to document first- and second-generation transmission in the communities or specific areas with no previous cases.
The DOH intends to promote “voluntary home confinement” among suspected cases unless they are in the high-risk category.
The guidelines showed that “a great majority of probable and confirmed cases are for home care.”
This pertains to those with stable clinical manifestations or those identified when they were in the recovery stage of illness.
“Hospital admission criteria include those manifesting respiratory difficulty, progressively acute illness and debility and others belonging to risk groups,” the guidelines further said.
Latest patients
Twenty-five children in Batangas ranging in age from 10 months to 13 years have tested positive for the A(H1N1) virus in an emergency medical check-up conducted on students in a village in Nasugbu town last Saturday, a health official said yesterday.
Dr. Myron Duque, officer-in-charge of the Batangas Provincial Health Office, said they conducted a swab test on 27 students of Banilad Elementary School and residents of Barangay Banilad, and 25 of them turned out to be positive for the virus.
Duque said they suspended classes in the school and instructed all those infected to stay home and take medication.
Duque said the virus could have been acquired by one of the student’s father who arrived in the Philippines last week from Texas.
“So far, we have already tested 81 people all over Batangas province since last month and only 30 people turned out to be positive,” Duque said.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
DOH: 536 recover from flu
The Department of Health (DOH) emphasized the “mild nature” of Influenza A(H1N1), saying that while the number of cases rose to 727 as of yesterday, 536 of the patients have already recovered.
The World Health Organization (WHO) website showed that as of June 24, the Philippines ranked second in Southeast Asia for confirmed A(H1N1) cases, following Thailand which had 774 cases.
Apart from this, among the 102 countries with confirmed A(H1N1) cases, the Philippines placed 10th. Worldwide, there is now a total of 55,867 cases, including 238 deaths.
Dr. Asuncion Maderazo-Anden, director of the DOH’s National Center for Health Promotion, however, stressed that the Philippines has a “good surveillance system” so it was able to capture all cases.
This was also the reason given recently by WHO acting country representative Dr. Howard Sobel, who lauded the Philippines for having “excellent contact tracing.”
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III maintained that A(H1N1) is a “mild virus” from which many of the patients recover even before they are started on medication – two capsules daily of Oseltamivir for five days.
“Most can fight off the virus even without medication or hospitalization. If you have mild flu-like symptoms but you do not have any pre-existing medical condition, then there is no reason to be alarmed. Just stay at home and take plenty of fluids, vitamins and bed rest,” Duque said.
But the health chief advised those who are seriously ill and who have other illnesses like diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder and asthma and those who are pregnant, aged 60 and above, below five and with weak immune system to consult their doctors.
Duque said the total count for A(H1N1) in the country had increased to 727 after 123 more individuals tested positive for the virus.
Of the 123 new cases, three are foreigners while 21 have history of travel in A(H1N1)-affected countries.
The youngest patient was aged six and the oldest, 59.
“The safest way to avoid contracting the flu is by observing thorough hand-washing and by covering the mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing. The best defense against A(H1N1) and other diseases is to boost your immune system,” he added.
The World Health Organization (WHO) website showed that as of June 24, the Philippines ranked second in Southeast Asia for confirmed A(H1N1) cases, following Thailand which had 774 cases.
Apart from this, among the 102 countries with confirmed A(H1N1) cases, the Philippines placed 10th. Worldwide, there is now a total of 55,867 cases, including 238 deaths.
Dr. Asuncion Maderazo-Anden, director of the DOH’s National Center for Health Promotion, however, stressed that the Philippines has a “good surveillance system” so it was able to capture all cases.
This was also the reason given recently by WHO acting country representative Dr. Howard Sobel, who lauded the Philippines for having “excellent contact tracing.”
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III maintained that A(H1N1) is a “mild virus” from which many of the patients recover even before they are started on medication – two capsules daily of Oseltamivir for five days.
“Most can fight off the virus even without medication or hospitalization. If you have mild flu-like symptoms but you do not have any pre-existing medical condition, then there is no reason to be alarmed. Just stay at home and take plenty of fluids, vitamins and bed rest,” Duque said.
But the health chief advised those who are seriously ill and who have other illnesses like diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder and asthma and those who are pregnant, aged 60 and above, below five and with weak immune system to consult their doctors.
Duque said the total count for A(H1N1) in the country had increased to 727 after 123 more individuals tested positive for the virus.
Of the 123 new cases, three are foreigners while 21 have history of travel in A(H1N1)-affected countries.
The youngest patient was aged six and the oldest, 59.
“The safest way to avoid contracting the flu is by observing thorough hand-washing and by covering the mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing. The best defense against A(H1N1) and other diseases is to boost your immune system,” he added.
Update 23:Flu cases climb to 727
PHILIPPINE STAR
The Department of Health confirmed 123 more Influenza A(H1N1) cases today, bringing the country's total to 727.
The new cases, all mild in nature, involved 120 Filipinos and three foreigners, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told reporters. He said 21 of the patients had a history of travel to a country affected with the novel virus.
Meanwhile, the health chief reported that 85 more A/H1N1 patients have fully recovered. This new number brought the country's total count of A(H1N1) recoveries to 536, or 74 percent of the total sum of confirmed cases since May 21.
Despite the rise in flu cases, Duque said there is no need to panic.
"Most can fight off this novel virus even without medications or hospitalization. If you have mild flu-like symptoms but you do not have any pre-existing medical condition then there is no reason to be alarmed. Just stay home and take plenty of fluids, vitamins and bed rest," Duque told the public.
However, he advised "high-risk groups" to take the disease seriously.
“We want to make it clear that high-risk groups, once they have the flu symptoms, should immediately go to their doctor," Duque said, referring to patients with uncontrolled diabetes and asthma, those with chronic liver and kidney disease, those suffering from HIV/AIDs and TB, and pregnant women, the young and the elderly.
"They should not wait for their symptoms to worsen because they are prone to many infections other than the novel virus such as our seasonal flu strains," he added.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Update 22: Low-level H1N1 outbreak in Metro declared, 473 total cases of AH1N1
ABS CBN NEWS:
The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday said 28 more Filipinos have tested positive for influenza A (H1N1) infection, as a "low-level community outbreak" was declared in Metro Manila due to an increasing number of schools affected by the disease.
In a press statement, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said the 28 new cases involved 16 males and 12 females with ages ranging from seven months to 49 years old. All of the new cases have had no history of travel to any affected country, he said.
The total number of confirmed cases in the Philippines is now at 473, the DOH stated.
Duque also said 26 more A (H1N1) patients in the Philippines have already fully recovered, bringing the total count of those who have fully recovered to 400. The figure represents 85 percent of all the confirmed cases reported since May 21.
Duque reiterated there that is only one reported A(H1N1)-related death in the Philippines, which is also the first swine flu-related death in Asia.
In a press conference Monday, the health chief identified the victim as a 49-year-old woman residing in Metro Manila who died last June 19. Cause of death was "congestive heart failure secondary to acute myocardial infarction aggravated by severe pneumonia either bacterial, viral or both."
He said "a throat-swab revealed that she was positive for A (H1N1)."
The health chief said the woman's husband and 21-year-old son were quarantined after exhibiting symptoms of A (H1N1) infection.
Low-level outbreak in metro
The low-level community outbreak was declared in Metro Manila, specifically in Manila, Parañaque, Quezon City, Marikina, Makati, Pasig, Mandaluyong, and Caloocan.
Areas particularly affected are those where third-level transmission has been confirmed by the DOH, especially around schools with A (H1N1) cases.
Twenty-two schools in the national capital region have had students, faculty or staff getting the virus.
Third-level transmission occurs when a person contracts the illness from another person who has contracted the same from an "index case," or the initial patient, the DOH explained.
The DOH said they will now focus on curing patients than on contact tracing, saying it is now "impossible" to do contact tracing now that the virus transmission has shifted to migration.
The health department, however, said that the public should not be alarmed by this announcement, since it is not yet a sustained community outbreak.
They also said that the spread of the virus is still under control, since the cases are lumped together in small clusters, particularly in schools.
Health watch hotline
The health secretary, meanwhile, thanked Smart Communications for opening SMART Health Watch Hotline 155, which can be used by the public to access the most recent information and updates on the novel virus A (H1N1).
Hotline 155 will be available starting today from Mondays to Fridays, from 8am-5pm. Duque said the DOH will be providing the contents that Smart will be giving its subscribers.
“We have given them all relevant information on the novel virus that they will need because they would be manning the hotline. However, when tougher questions come up, they will be referring the callers to the DOH-Health Emergency Management Service Operations Center,” Duque said.
He said that apart from the hotline, there will also be a Smart Infoboard Service, a text messaging solution that will provide a more effective and efficient communication service.
Duque said that globally the World Health Organization has reported 52,160 cases with 231 deaths from 94 reporting countries. Algeria, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam and Fiji are the new countries that reported A(H1N1) cases.
With reports from Carmela Fonbuena, Newsbreak and Jing Castañeda, ABS-CBN News
as of 06/23/2009 6:47 PM
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Update 21: DOH: 36 new A (H1N1) cases; a total of 428, 79% of total are 'fully recovered'
ABS CBN NEWS:
The Department of Health (DOH) on Sunday reported that 64 more cases of influenza A (H1N1) have fully recovered, making the total of fully recovered cases to 399, while reporting 36 additional cases.
In a statement, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said 79 percent of all confirmed cases since May 21 have recovered from the illness so far.
The new cases, meanwhile, brings the total number of confirmed cases to 428.
Duque said all the confirmed cases are "mild in nature."
"The new 36 mild confirmed cases involved 15 males and 21 females. The age range is 2-59 years old, with 17 as median age," the statement said.
The health chief also said all but two of the new cases are Filipinos, and six of those new patients have a history of travel to a country affected by the virus.
All the patients are responding positively to the treatments, he added.
He also reminded the public of practicing proper hygiene habits to prevent the spread or getting the disease.
As of June 19 the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a total of 44,287 cases of the illness, with 180 deaths, from 90 reporting countries.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
The top 10 richest and poorest congressmen on Philippine Congress
The top 10 richest congressmen are:
1. Rep. Cynthia Villar (P1.05-B)
2. Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez (P477-M)
3. Rep. Julio Ledesma IV (P447-M)
4. Rep. Arturo Robes (P441-M)
5. Rep. Judy Syjuco (P265-M)
6. Rep. Monica Prieto Teodoro (P232-M)
7. Rep. Ferjenel Biron (P191-M)
8. Rep. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (P180-M)
9. Rep. Edgar San Luis (P165-M)
10. Rep. Aurelio Gonzalez Jr. (P153-M)
The top 10 poorest:
1. Rep. Rafael Mariano (P55-T)
2. Rep. Teodoro Casiño (P118-T)
3. Rep. Adam Relson Jala (P782-T)
4. Rep. Satur Ocampo (P895-T)
5. Rep. Mujiv Hataman (P1.5-M)
6. Rep. Liza Maza (P1.5-M)
7. Rep. Benjamin Asilo (P1.9-M)
8. Rep. Pedro Pancho (P2-M)
9. Rep. Sharee Ann Tan (P2.1-M)
10. Rep. Narciso Santiago III (P2.9-M)
1. Rep. Cynthia Villar (P1.05-B)
2. Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez (P477-M)
3. Rep. Julio Ledesma IV (P447-M)
4. Rep. Arturo Robes (P441-M)
5. Rep. Judy Syjuco (P265-M)
6. Rep. Monica Prieto Teodoro (P232-M)
7. Rep. Ferjenel Biron (P191-M)
8. Rep. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (P180-M)
9. Rep. Edgar San Luis (P165-M)
10. Rep. Aurelio Gonzalez Jr. (P153-M)
The top 10 poorest:
1. Rep. Rafael Mariano (P55-T)
2. Rep. Teodoro Casiño (P118-T)
3. Rep. Adam Relson Jala (P782-T)
4. Rep. Satur Ocampo (P895-T)
5. Rep. Mujiv Hataman (P1.5-M)
6. Rep. Liza Maza (P1.5-M)
7. Rep. Benjamin Asilo (P1.9-M)
8. Rep. Pedro Pancho (P2-M)
9. Rep. Sharee Ann Tan (P2.1-M)
10. Rep. Narciso Santiago III (P2.9-M)
Here is a list of the richest senators, arranged based on their net worth based on their SALN.
1. VILLAR, Manuel 1.046 billion
2. MADRIGAL, Jamby 145.617 million
3. PONCE ENRIILE, Juan 120.367 million
4. REVILLA, Bong 118 million (2007)
5. ROXAS, Mar 110.7 million (2007)
6. ESTRADA, Jinggoy 83.511 million
7. CAYETANO, Pia P75.593 million (2008)
8. SANTIAGO, Miriam 75.755 million
9. LEGARDA, Loren 45.59 million
10. ANGARA, Edgardo 44.1 million (2007)
11. ZUBIRI, Juan Miguel 30.733 million
12. BIAZON, Rodolfo 29.456 million
13. LACSON, Panfilo 27.806 million
14. GORDON, Richard 27 million (2007)
15. CAYETANO, Alan Peter 16.266 million
16. HONASAN, Gregorio 15.904 million
17. LAPID, Lito 14.6 million
18. AQUINO, Benigno III 14 million (2007)
19. PIMENTEL, Aquilino Jr. 12.313 million
20. PANGILINAN, Francis 11.684 million
21. ARROYO, Joker 11.05 million
22. ESCUDERO, Chiz 7.683 million
23. TRILLANES, Antonio IV 2.966 million
2. MADRIGAL, Jamby 145.617 million
3. PONCE ENRIILE, Juan 120.367 million
4. REVILLA, Bong 118 million (2007)
5. ROXAS, Mar 110.7 million (2007)
6. ESTRADA, Jinggoy 83.511 million
7. CAYETANO, Pia P75.593 million (2008)
8. SANTIAGO, Miriam 75.755 million
9. LEGARDA, Loren 45.59 million
10. ANGARA, Edgardo 44.1 million (2007)
11. ZUBIRI, Juan Miguel 30.733 million
12. BIAZON, Rodolfo 29.456 million
13. LACSON, Panfilo 27.806 million
14. GORDON, Richard 27 million (2007)
15. CAYETANO, Alan Peter 16.266 million
16. HONASAN, Gregorio 15.904 million
17. LAPID, Lito 14.6 million
18. AQUINO, Benigno III 14 million (2007)
19. PIMENTEL, Aquilino Jr. 12.313 million
20. PANGILINAN, Francis 11.684 million
21. ARROYO, Joker 11.05 million
22. ESCUDERO, Chiz 7.683 million
23. TRILLANES, Antonio IV 2.966 million
Update 20: 48 more H1N1 cases confirmed a total of 392
PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER:
As the number of swine flu victims climbed to 392 Saturday with the confirmation of 48 new cases, the Department of Health started to act against traders unscrupulously taking advantage of people’s fear of the novel and potentially deadly influenza virus.
The authorities said, however, that of the 392 confirmed cases, 70 per cent or 275 have already fully recovered as of Saturday.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said he has ordered the Bureau of Food and Drugs to crack down on advertisements about anti-flu vaccines that give the wrong impression that their medication could protect people against the A(H1N1) virus.
There is no vaccine yet against the A(H1N1) virus and the existing vaccines are for seasonal flu, which medical experts say has proven to be more virulent than the A(H1N1) virus.
An agency under the DOH, BFAD has regulatory powers over all medicines being sold in the market.
“I've told the BFAD to study [these ads] if they give a misrepresentation. I told BFAD to be vigilant because there are a lot of unscrupulous people during times like this and the public falls victim to them,” Duque said in an interview over dzMM when asked about ads on flu vaccines.
With respect to ads that claim certain vaccines are effective against the flu, Duque said, "In one aspect they are correct, but that is a half-truth.”
He warned that the public might be wrongly led into thinking that available flu vaccines would protect them from the H1N1 strain.
Duque said he has also asked the Department of Trade and Industry to set price ceilings on facial masks that have again become popular since the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome scare in 2003.
Medical experts have said that masks should be worn only by persons infected with the H1N1 virus to keep them from infecting others. Masks are also helpful only for caregivers and medical personnel attending to patients.
The DOH has repeatedly discouraged the wearing of masks in public since the virus is not airborne.
The flu virus is transmitted when a person inhales respiratory droplets released by an infected person when he sneezes or coughs or if a person happens to touch an object or surface infected by the virus and then touches his eyes, nose or mouth before washing.
The DOH has asked the public to cover the mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing and to observe proper handwashing and social distancing (ie., avoid kissing and handshakes in social gatherings) as preventive measures.
“I've asked (Trade) Secretary Peter Favila to issue a suggested retail price for products whose prices have been increasing, taking advantage of the H1N1 issue,” Duque said when asked about the rising prices of masks.
The DOH said the best preventive measure is to improve one's immune system and resistance by having adequate sleep, good nutrition, plenty of fluids (water and fruit juices) and avoiding stress.
The DOH said all the H1N1 cases in the country have shown mild flu symptoms.
The 48 new confirmed cases had ages ranging from 1 to 53, with 17 as the median age (ie., half of the cases are age 17 and below).
The DOH said 45 of the new confirmed cases are Filipinos, while the remaining three are foreigners but their nationalities were not disclosed.
Twelve of the new cases have a history of travel to an affected country.
Updated list of schools with positive cases of AH1N1
De La Salle University and its sister school St. Benilde College, both in Taft Avenue,Manila;
FEU-East Asia in Manila;
St. Andrew High School in Parañaque,
Ateneo High School in Quezon City;
Hilera Elementary School in Barangay Hilera in Jaen, Nueva Ecija;
Candelaria Meneses Duque High School in Barangay Bambang in Bulacan, Bulacan;
Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College in Marikina City;
Lagro Elementary School in Quezon City;
Mapua Institute of Makati City;
Philippines Science High School in Palo, Leyte
and Miriam College in Quezon City;
Don Alejandro Roces Sr. Science and Technology High School in Quezon City
; St. Paul’s College in Pasig City;
Lourdes School in Mandaluyong City;
University of the Philippines-Diliman,
Dominican College in San Juan;
San Beda College in Mendiola and
Sta. Rosa Elementary School in Laguna.
FEU-East Asia in Manila;
St. Andrew High School in Parañaque,
Ateneo High School in Quezon City;
Hilera Elementary School in Barangay Hilera in Jaen, Nueva Ecija;
Candelaria Meneses Duque High School in Barangay Bambang in Bulacan, Bulacan;
Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College in Marikina City;
Lagro Elementary School in Quezon City;
Mapua Institute of Makati City;
Philippines Science High School in Palo, Leyte
and Miriam College in Quezon City;
Don Alejandro Roces Sr. Science and Technology High School in Quezon City
; St. Paul’s College in Pasig City;
Lourdes School in Mandaluyong City;
University of the Philippines-Diliman,
Dominican College in San Juan;
San Beda College in Mendiola and
Sta. Rosa Elementary School in Laguna.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
'Home remedies' for A (H1N1)
Instead of buying Vitamin C pills and other "anti-swine flu" potions, why not eat "camote" instead?
To protect oneself amid the influenza A (H1N1) outbreak, herbalist Dr. Galvez Tan said there is no need to spend on costly medicines or face masks when there are equally potent - but cheaper - alternative medicines available right in your own backyard or kitchen.
"In truth, there are many ingredients that we use every day in our kitchens that can already provide a lot of protection for our bodies. It's just that, there's a lack of awareness about these things," he said in Filipino.
Tan explained that ingredients commonly used for sautéed dishes like ginger, garlic, and onions have excellent phytochemicals that can kill microbes and bacteria. These ingredients can be fried along with vegetables or chopped raw for "ensalada."
"In fact, our ancestors used to recommend onion soup or traditional "salabat" (ginger brew) as colds medicine," he said.
Yellow ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that are good for sore throat or itchy nasal cavities. Meanwhile, green leafy vegetables like camote tops, chili leaves, "saluyot", "kangkong" (water spinach), meanwhile, are "powerful" because they contain lots of antioxidants (Vitamins A, C, and E) and Zinc, Selenium, Folic acid. These should be served uncooked or unheated, lest they lose 70% of their nutrients.
Fruits like bananas, pineapple, papaya, and mango are rich sources of vitamins. Coconut and extra virgin coconut oil has lauric acid, which is a good anti-viral property. Other good immune system boosters are sweet potato, boiled corn, "ube" and muscovado. These strengthen resistance and are fiber-rich to boot.
"The beauty of it all is that these are non-toxic, non-fatal, and you won't get overdosed because thousands of years of usage around the world have proven this," Tan said.
The self-confessed alternative medicine expert believes that most Filipinos already have an innate capacity to ward off "swine flu" because their diet is rich in these ingredients. "I think what we have is a wild case of swine flu because of the things we eat. We shouldn't panic, but we should stick to a healthy lifestyle every day," he said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Lyndon Leesuy, program director of the Department of Health (DOH) National Dengue and Emerging Infectious Diseases, said the general public should employ all means to protect themselves by keeping their hands clean and bodies healthy.
He also clarified that there is no need to buy surgical masks at the moment, unless you are an A(H1N1) victim or if you are taking care of an infected patient. He said the "swine flu" virus only remains outside the body for 6 to 8 hours and it is unlikely that it will spread if the infected person was immediately isolated or quarantined. Report from Sol Aragones, ABS-CBN News.
To protect oneself amid the influenza A (H1N1) outbreak, herbalist Dr. Galvez Tan said there is no need to spend on costly medicines or face masks when there are equally potent - but cheaper - alternative medicines available right in your own backyard or kitchen.
"In truth, there are many ingredients that we use every day in our kitchens that can already provide a lot of protection for our bodies. It's just that, there's a lack of awareness about these things," he said in Filipino.
Tan explained that ingredients commonly used for sautéed dishes like ginger, garlic, and onions have excellent phytochemicals that can kill microbes and bacteria. These ingredients can be fried along with vegetables or chopped raw for "ensalada."
"In fact, our ancestors used to recommend onion soup or traditional "salabat" (ginger brew) as colds medicine," he said.
Yellow ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that are good for sore throat or itchy nasal cavities. Meanwhile, green leafy vegetables like camote tops, chili leaves, "saluyot", "kangkong" (water spinach), meanwhile, are "powerful" because they contain lots of antioxidants (Vitamins A, C, and E) and Zinc, Selenium, Folic acid. These should be served uncooked or unheated, lest they lose 70% of their nutrients.
Fruits like bananas, pineapple, papaya, and mango are rich sources of vitamins. Coconut and extra virgin coconut oil has lauric acid, which is a good anti-viral property. Other good immune system boosters are sweet potato, boiled corn, "ube" and muscovado. These strengthen resistance and are fiber-rich to boot.
"The beauty of it all is that these are non-toxic, non-fatal, and you won't get overdosed because thousands of years of usage around the world have proven this," Tan said.
The self-confessed alternative medicine expert believes that most Filipinos already have an innate capacity to ward off "swine flu" because their diet is rich in these ingredients. "I think what we have is a wild case of swine flu because of the things we eat. We shouldn't panic, but we should stick to a healthy lifestyle every day," he said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Lyndon Leesuy, program director of the Department of Health (DOH) National Dengue and Emerging Infectious Diseases, said the general public should employ all means to protect themselves by keeping their hands clean and bodies healthy.
He also clarified that there is no need to buy surgical masks at the moment, unless you are an A(H1N1) victim or if you are taking care of an infected patient. He said the "swine flu" virus only remains outside the body for 6 to 8 hours and it is unlikely that it will spread if the infected person was immediately isolated or quarantined. Report from Sol Aragones, ABS-CBN News.
Update 19: RP's H1N1 flu cases reach 344
ABS-CBN News
MANILA - Thirty-three new cases of influenza A (H1N1) were confirmed by the Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday bringing the country's total number of victims of the virus to 344, as the World Health Organization (WHO) predicts the virus will be active for three more months.
Of the new H1N1 patients, 24 are male and 9 are female, and 31 are Filipino nationals, Health Undersecretary Mario Villaverde said in a press briefing in Malacañang.
The new patients' ages range from one year to 52 years old, Villaverde said.
He also said that out of the total number of cases so far, 242 patients have fully recovered from the illness, 142 of whom recovered only recently.
Despite the large number of patients who have recovered from the illness, the DOH again reminded the public to observe proper hygiene to prevent the spread of the disease.
Despite the spread of the virus, the DOH won't be requesting for additional funds to combat the spread of the illness.
Villaverde said around 50 to 60 percent of the P93.5 million budget for anti-H1N1 measures have so far been used, and he said the remaining funds are enough.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita also said the informaton campaign on the illness will continue in order to keep the public informed.
The DOH's National Center for Disease Prevention and Control (NCDPC) said that, according to the WHO, the spread of the illness is seen to linger for more or less three more months.
In their latest report dated June 15, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported 35,928 cases and 163 deaths from 76 reporting countries. With reports from Jing Castañeda, RG Cruz, and Ron Gagalac, ABS-CBN News
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Update 18: RP's H1N1 cases rise to 311
ABS-CBN NEWS:
The Philippines on Wednesday said it has 64 new confirmed cases of Influenza A (H1N1) infection, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 311.
In a press conference in Tarlac City, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said 94 of the 311 cases have full recovered.
He said the new cases include 40 males and 24 females with ages ranging from 1 to 62 year old. Two of the 64 new cases are foreigners while the rest are Filipino.
Duque visited Jaen, Nueva Ecija Wednesday to meet with local officials and health workers and map out further measures to contain a community level outbreak of the virus. Local officials earlier placed the municipality under a state of calamity after 11 Jaen residents tested positive for A (H1N1).
Jaen Mayor Santi Austria said local health authorities have conducted swabbing tests on 72 people from three barangays after they showed flu-like symptoms. He said residents who tested positive for A (H1N1) are responding well to treatment and are expected to recover soon.
Health officials on Wednesday said two children in Bacolod City and a 38-old seaman in Iloilo City have tested positive for Influenza A (H1N1) infection.
The Department of Health Region 6 said the two minors in Bacolod City had just arrived from United States are currently confined in a private hospital. Dr. Glen Alonsabe, Regional Epidemiology Center Head, said the two victims are below 10 years old and are experiencing a mild case of the virus.
"They arrived from the United States last week and are planning to go to school in Bacolod. We are also closely monitoring their respective family members and those whom they had close contacts since their arrival. Some of them have already done self-quarantine in their homes," said Alonsabe.
The mother of one of the victims is also in the hospital after showing symptoms of A (H1N1) infection.
The DOH regional office is still awaiting results of tests conducted on two American missionaries in the city who have also manifested symptoms of the A(H1N1) despite being already released from the hospital.
There are now three A(H1N1) positive cases in Bacolod City, the first being the 17-year-old student from De La Salle University who came to Bacolod two weeks ago.
Healh officials said a 38-year-old seaman in Iloilo who had just arrived from Germany also tested positive for A (H1N1). They said the man is currently confined at Western Visayas Medical Center.
Local officials in Iloilo and Bacolod said the swine flu scare has raised demand for face masks, alcohol, hand sanitizers and other medical supplies.
as of 06/17/2009 3:05 PM
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Update 17: RP's A(H1N1) cases balloon to 247
ABS-CBN NEWS:
MANILA - The number of confirmed cases of influenza A (H1N1) virus in the Philippines has ballooned to almost 250, based on the latest data from the Department of Health (DOH).
The DOH announced 54 new cases on Tuesday, bringing the total number of confirmed A(H1N1) infections in the country to 247.
The health department said the new cases include 29 females and 25 males aged 5 to 70. It added that 52 of the new cases are Filipinos and only two are foreigners.
The DOH said 85 of the infected patients have been discharged as of June 16.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III declared the country's first A (H1N1) cases last May 21. The first case is a Filipino woman who came from a trip to the United States and Canada with her parents last May 18.
The woman, who showed mild flu symptoms, has fully recovered from the viral infection.
Also on Tuesday, Lagro Elementary School in Quezon City suspended classes for 10 days due to two confirmed cases of A (H1N1).
Nine schools in the country have confirmed A(H1N1) cases including
De la Salle University-Taft,
DLSU-College of St. Benilde,
Far Eastern University-East Asia College,
St. Andrews School in Parañaque,
Ateneo Grade School,
Mapua Institute of Technology-Makati,
Philippine Science High School Eastern Visayas Campus,
Hilera Elementary School in Nueva Ecija
and
Doña Candelaria Highschool in Bulacan.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Update 16: A (H1N1) flu cases in RP reach almost 200
ABS-CBN NEWS:
MANILA - The Department of Health (DOH) said Monday that the Philippines now has a total of 193 cases of influenza A (H1N1) while at the same time announcing that 33 more patients who were infected have been sent home after fully recovering.
In a statement, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that the number of cases included 46 confirmed cases of mild A (H1N1) flu from the weekend.
The 46 new confirmed cases, the statement said, involved 27 females and 19 males between 9 and 47 years old, all Filipinos.
In Jaen, Nueva Ecija, where the first community-level outbreak was first declared in one of the town’s barangays, Duque said that eight out of 19 individuals tested for the virus came out positive, and Duque said that the figures were all "community cases." An earlier ABS-CBN News report said that 11 cases have been confirmed in the Jaen barangay. An updated report Monday afternoon said twenty cases have already been confirmed in Barangay Hilera of Jaen.
Health officials in Central Luzon said that the confirmed cases are all mild in nature and are all responding well to their treatments, the DOH said.
“It’s an outbreak of mild A (H1N1) cases,” Duque said.
Fully-recovered cases
Meanwhile, the country has already 71 fully recovered cases, including the 33 more sent home, as of Monday.
Duque also reiterated in the statement that not only school authorities but barangay leaders and heads of offices, as well, across the country should continue reporting to their respective local government executives any unusual occurrence of flu-like symptoms among their students, constituents and employees, respectively, especially those who travelled last summer from countries affected with the A (H1N1).
”This effort is part of the readiness of the Department of Health (DOH) to shift from containment to mitigation”, Duque said.
N. Ecija outbreak
Meanwhile, in Jaen, health officials are conducting house-to-house checks in several villages after the outbreak declaration by the DOH.
Nueva Ecija Vice-Gov. Tomas Edward Joson said municipal health officers are interviewing residents in Barangay Hilera and other nearby barangays to curb the possible spread of A (H1N1) after 10 students of Hilera Elementary School and a four-year-old child tested positive for the virus.
"In Barangay Hilera and other nearby barangays, the Department of Heatlh is going house-to-house to check up all members of the family for possible flu-like symptoms. Some of them may be afraid to let other people know if they aren't feeling well so it is up to DOH to check them," Joson told radio dzMM.
The vice-governor said officials have yet to find out how the virus reached Barangay Hilera, which is a small village of about 1,600 residents.
He said at least two possible sources of infection have been identified: a six-year-old boy who visited Bulacan recently, and a medical mission that visited Barangay Hilera last month.
Joson said that he turned down a proposal to quarantine Barangay Hilera. He also pointed out that the 11 confirmed cases of A (H1N1) in Jaen are almost all healed but are still under observation.
With reports from Zyann Ambrosio, ABS-CBN News
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Update 15: RP H1N1 cases climb to 147
ABS-CBN NEWS:
MANILA - The Department of Health (DOH) on Sunday announced that 36 more people have been infected with influenza A (H1N1) virus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 147.
“[Health Secretary Francisco Duque] announced an additional 36 confirmed cases, and from 111 yesterday (Saturday) it's now 147,” DOH's chief epidemiologist Dr. Eric Tayag told “Dateline Philippines Sunday.”
There are no details yet about the 36 new H1N1 cases as of posting time.
Despite the continuous spread of the virus in the Philippines, Tayag assured that health officials “have not detected any serious community level [transmission] at least here in Manila.”
He reminded the public to remain vigilant and always observe personal hygiene measures, like hand washing and covering the nose and mouth when coughing, to prevent the spread of the disease.
He also said that those who are experiencing flu-like symptoms should stay at home and take enough rest.
“You will need a lot of rest and [to drink lots of] fluids. You have to bring down the temperature. You have to take vitamins. You have to wait, be patient because it goes away completely. There’s full recovery from two to three days, but you don’t have to leave your house until you complete seven days,” he said.
Those who are in a serious condition and considered "high risk" should be taken to a hospital immediately, he added.
Among those considered "high risk" are the very young and the elderly, people with diabetes, heart and lung diseases, tuberculosis, pregnant women, people with immune-related ailments or "immuno-compromised individuals" such as those with HIV-AIDS.
He also reiterated that there is no need to suspend the opening of classes on Monday, noting that some of the schools have already established measures to protect the students and faculty members from the virus.
“Those who have cough, runny rose, fever, sore throat can wear masks especially if they are at home… If they go outside, they should also wear masks but not the general public at this time. For those in the hospitals who are taking care of patients, masks should be worn,” he advised.
Mitigation strategy
On Saturday the DOH announced a shift in its approach to manage H1N1 disease from "containment" to "mitigation strategy."
Under the new strategy, Duque said it would be useless to suspend classes if there is already an H1N1 outbreak in a community. Suspension of classes will be done on a case-by-case basis depending on whether it would help contain the spread of the disease.
In communities where the spread can still be averted, containment will still be done to stop the virus from spreading.
Duque cited the case of Mindanao where there is still no confirmed H1N1 case. In these areas, contact tracing and quarantine of patients will still help.
But in areas where there is already a community outbreak of the virus, authorities said there is no reason to "go on and off" with respect to holding classes.
Duque said that in these areas where there is already a community outbreak, households should be prepared to treat mild H1N1 cases at home by giving infected people with anti-virals, practicing self-quarantine, and giving supportive care.
as of 06/14/2009 11:43 PM
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Update 14: Philippines' cofirmed A(H1N1) cases rise to 111
ABS-CBN NEWS:
Nineteen more people have been infected with influenza A(H1N1) virus, bringing to 111 the total number of confirmed cases in the Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH) said Saturday.
The DOH said 11 of the new cases are males and eight are female. A total of 38 infected patients have been discharged, it added.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque had admitted that the DOH would not be able to contain the virus anymore.
Duque said that the government has shifted from containment to mitigation strategy.
“With mitigation, the government will be recommending to affected areas with community level transmission to now focus on taking care of the sick, providing guidance for people to protect themselves and their families and monitoring the outbreak,” the health secretary said.
The DOH has maintained that there is still no “community-level transmission” of the virus in the country.
At least four tertiary level schools -- De la Salle University, Colleged of St. Benilde, Far Eastern University-East Asia College, and St. Andrew’s School – have students infected with the new virus.
The Ateneo High School has three confirmed cases and the Helera Elementary School in Nueva Ecija has one.
Classes at the Doña Candelaria Meneses Duque High School in Bulacan town, Bulacan province have been suspended after several students exhibited flu-like symptoms.
The flu-like illness started from one section of the school's second year level. The illness reportedly spread to other year levels, prompting the school's management to call the DOH's attention.
Throat swab samples taken from the students have been brought to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine office in Alabang, Muntinlupa City. The entire school has been "disinfected."
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Main flu pandemics in past century
The World Health Organization declared a swine flu pandemic on Thursday, the fourth influenza pandemic to be called in the last century. Here is a list of the three previous cases:
1918-1919 SPANISH FLU. A cousin of the H1N1 strain of today's "swine" flu unleashed the catastrophe against which all modern pandemics are measured. It spread to nearly every part of the world, even as far as the Arctic and remote Pacific islands.
Between 40 and 50 million people died, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Most victims were healthy young adults, whereas seasonal influenza fatalities are usually the very young and old and people weakened by an existing medical condition.
1957-1958 ASIAN FLU: A novel H2N2 strain, first identified in southern China in February 1957, spread to Singapore, Hong Kong and the United States. The flu killed some four million people, according to WHO. It mainly affected the elderly.
1968-69 HONG KONG FLU. This was a H3N2 viral strain that was detected in Hong Kong in early 1968 and spread to the United States, peaking in December 1968 and 1969. Estimates of the death toll range from one to two million.
1918-1919 SPANISH FLU. A cousin of the H1N1 strain of today's "swine" flu unleashed the catastrophe against which all modern pandemics are measured. It spread to nearly every part of the world, even as far as the Arctic and remote Pacific islands.
Between 40 and 50 million people died, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Most victims were healthy young adults, whereas seasonal influenza fatalities are usually the very young and old and people weakened by an existing medical condition.
1957-1958 ASIAN FLU: A novel H2N2 strain, first identified in southern China in February 1957, spread to Singapore, Hong Kong and the United States. The flu killed some four million people, according to WHO. It mainly affected the elderly.
1968-69 HONG KONG FLU. This was a H3N2 viral strain that was detected in Hong Kong in early 1968 and spread to the United States, peaking in December 1968 and 1969. Estimates of the death toll range from one to two million.
Pandemic means time to get impersonal
PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER:
GENEVA -- No kissing, avoid handshakes, sneeze in the crook of your arm and wash your hands -- pandemics have a way of changing everyday life.
The World Health Organization says that such simple measures are the best way to prevent the spread of even the most virulent virus.
Swine flu, or the A(H1N1) virus, has got a lot of people worried. Sales of hygienic masks have shot up in recent weeks.
But a WHO spokeswoman said: "Take the normal precautions you would do to seasonal flu or the common cold -- nothing more drastic than that. It's based on practical knowledge."
WHO director general Margaret Chan took exception recently to the traditional Swiss greeting between acquainted men and women, three kisses on each cheek.
"Maybe you don't do that any more -- don't hold each other and hug their face three times," Chan explained when announcing a previous rise in the six level pandemic alert to five.
"It's just an example to say continue with your business but try to pay special attention to personal hygiene," Chan added. Her staff were duly told to avoid kisses and hugs as well as handshakes.
Good manners nonetheless survive in the form of good "respiratory hygiene."
"Don't cough in people's faces," suggested WHO's acting assistant director general Keiji Fukuda. "Cover your mouth using (tissues) or your shirt sleeve to cough in and take a variety of steps like that."
Washing hands regularly with soap and water during the day can help keep the virus at bay and go some way to prevent transmission. Touching the mouth should also be avoided.
However, disposable face masks are only recommended for those who are ill, coughing or sneezing, or if you are caring for somebody who is vulnerable.
"You don't have to wear a face mask if you're not ill," the WHO spokeswoman said.
The WHO advises anyone feeling ill -- fever, coughing, a headache, muscle and joint pain or a sore throat -- to avoid work, stay at home and to inform family and friends as well as a doctor.
"If you are sick, if you have something which may be swine flu or any other illness it may be prudent to stay at home until you are better," said Fukuda.
"This is a way of voluntarily preventing yourself from transmitting infection perhaps to others."
Even staff at the United Nations in Geneva -- where dozens of nationalities rub shoulders and tread its corridors, offices and canteens -- were advised to stop shaking hands to reduce the risk of passing flu around.
"That doesn't apply to meetings of diplomats," a UN spokeswoman nonetheless qualified.
Novartis says it produced first batch of H1N1 vaccine
PHILIPPINE STAR:
BASEL (AP) – Swiss pharmaceuticals company Novartis AG said Friday it has successfully produced a first batch of swine flu vaccine weeks ahead of expectations.
The vaccine was made in cells, rather than grown in eggs as is usually the case with vaccines, the company said.
The announcement comes a day after the World Health Organization declared swine flu, also known as A(H1N1), a pandemic. The move indicates that a global outbreak is under way. WHO says drugmakers will likely have vaccines approved and ready for sale after September.
Novartis said it would use the first batch of vaccine for pre-clinical evaluation and testing. It is also being considered for clinical trials, the company said.
The vaccine was produced at a Novartis plant in Marburg, Germany. Novartis said the facility could potentially produce millions of doses of vaccine a week.
A second plant is being built in Holly Springs, North Carolina, the company said.
Novartis said more than 30 governments have requested vaccine supplies, including the US Department of Health and Human Service, which placed a $289 million order in May.
WHO: Swine flu pandemic has begun, 1st in 41 years
GENEVA (AP) – Swine flu is now formally a pandemic, a declaration by UN health officials that will speed vaccine production and spur government spending to combat the first global flu epidemic in 41 years. Thursday's announcement by the World Health Organization doesn't mean the virus is any more lethal — only that its spread is considered unstoppable.
Since it was first detected in late April in Mexico and the US, swine flu has reached 74 countries, infecting nearly 29,000 people. Most who catch the bug have only mild symptoms and don't need medical treatment.
WHO chief Dr. Margaret Chan made the long-awaited declaration after the UN agency held an emergency meeting with flu experts and said she was moving to phase 6 — the agency's highest alert level — which means a pandemic is under way.
"The world is moving into the early days of its first influenza pandemic in the 21st century," Chan said in Geneva.
Dr. Thomas Frieden, the new head of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in Atlanta that he does not expect widespread public anxiety in the US as a result of the declaration, noting it came nearly two months after the virus was identified.
For many weeks, US health officials have been treating it as a pandemic, increasing the availability of anti-viral flu medicines and pouring money into a possible vaccination program. And scientists have grown to understand that the virus is generally not much more severe than the seasonal flu.
"That helps to tamp down any fears that may be excessive," Frieden said at a news conference — his first as CDC director.
But the virus can still be deadly and may change into a more frightening form in the near future, and so people should not be complacent, he added.
So far, swine flu has caused 144 deaths, compared with ordinary flu that kills up to 500,000 people a year.
The pandemic decision might have been made much earlier if WHO had more accurate information about swine flu's rising sweep through Europe. Chan said she called the emergency meeting with flu experts after concerns were raised that some countries, such as Britain, were not accurately reporting their cases.
Chan said the experts unanimously agreed there was a wider spread of swine flu than was being reported.
She would not say which country tipped the world into the pandemic, but WHO flu chief Keiji Fukuda said the situation from Australia seemed to indicate the virus was spreading rapidly there — more than 1,300 cases were reported by Thursday.
In Chile, authorities have identified almost 1,700 cases to WHO.
Many health experts said the world has been in a pandemic for weeks but WHO became too bogged down by politics to declare one. In May, several countries urged WHO not to declare a pandemic, fearing it would cause social and economic turmoil. At the time, WHO said it would rewrite its pandemic definition to avoid announcing one.
But with the recent surge in cases across Europe, Chile, Australia and Japan, the agency was under increasing pressure to acknowledge a pandemic.
"This is WHO finally catching up with the facts," said Michael Osterholm, a flu expert at the University of Minnesota.
David Ropeik, an expert in risk perception and communication at Harvard University, says the word pandemic is less frightening than when emerged during worries about bird flu a few years ago.
He said the "soft buildup" to declaring swine flu a pandemic has been helpful.
"That allows people to get used to what is otherwise a scary word, understand the particulars of the disease, and that should mean reaction will be a little more information-based and a little less emotional," Ropeik said in an e-mail.
WHO will now recommend that pharmaceutical companies make swine flu vaccine. The agency typically recommends which flu strains drug companies should use in the vaccines. In a global outbreak, WHO also advises whether companies should make pandemic vaccine.
The decision to make pandemic vaccine is a gamble. Most flu vaccine makers cannot make both regular seasonal flu vaccine and pandemic vaccine at the same time. That means they must decide which one the world will need more.
Drug giant GlaxoSmithKline PLC said it could start commercial production of pandemic vaccine in July but that it would take months before large quantities are available.
Glaxo spokesman Stephen Rea said the company's first doses of vaccine would be reserved for countries who had ordered it in advance, including Belgium, Britain and France. He said Glaxo would also donate 50 million doses to WHO for poor countries.
Pascal Barollier, a spokesman for Sanofi-Aventis, said they were also working on a pandemic vaccine but WHO had not yet asked them to start making mass quantities of it.
WHO described the pandemic as "moderate." Fukuda said people should not get overly anxious about the virus. "Understand it, put it in context, and then you get on with things," he said.
Still, about half of the people who have died from swine flu were previously young and healthy — people who are not usually susceptible to flu. Swine flu is also crowding out regular flu viruses. Both features are typical of pandemic flu viruses.
Swine flu is also continuing to spread during the start of summer in the northern hemisphere. Normally, flu viruses disappear with warm weather, but swine flu is proving to be resilient.
"What this declaration does do is remind the world that flu viruses like H1N1 need to be taken seriously," said US Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, warning that more cases could crop up in the fall.
Now that a pandemic has been declared, some countries might be prompted to devote more money to containing the virus. Many developed countries have pandemic preparedness plans that link spending to a WHO declaration.
The UN is keen to avoid panic. "We must guard against rash and discriminatory action, such as travel bans or trade restrictions," said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Fear has already gripped Argentina, where thousands have flooded hospitals this week, bringing emergency health services in Buenos Aires to the brink of collapse during winter weather. Last month, a bus arriving in Argentina from Chile was stoned by people who thought a passenger had swine flu.
China has quarantined travelers, including New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, on the slightest suspicion of contact with an infected person.
The US government has already increased the availability of flu-fighting medicines and authorized $1 billion for developing a new swine flu vaccine. In addition, new cases seem to be declining in many parts of the country, US health officials say, as North America moves out of its traditional winter flu season.
Still, New York City reported three more swine flu deaths Thursday, including a child under 2, a teenager and a person in their 30s.
"Countries where outbreaks appear to have peaked should prepare for a second wave of infection," Chan warned.
Since it was first detected in late April in Mexico and the US, swine flu has reached 74 countries, infecting nearly 29,000 people. Most who catch the bug have only mild symptoms and don't need medical treatment.
WHO chief Dr. Margaret Chan made the long-awaited declaration after the UN agency held an emergency meeting with flu experts and said she was moving to phase 6 — the agency's highest alert level — which means a pandemic is under way.
"The world is moving into the early days of its first influenza pandemic in the 21st century," Chan said in Geneva.
Dr. Thomas Frieden, the new head of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in Atlanta that he does not expect widespread public anxiety in the US as a result of the declaration, noting it came nearly two months after the virus was identified.
For many weeks, US health officials have been treating it as a pandemic, increasing the availability of anti-viral flu medicines and pouring money into a possible vaccination program. And scientists have grown to understand that the virus is generally not much more severe than the seasonal flu.
"That helps to tamp down any fears that may be excessive," Frieden said at a news conference — his first as CDC director.
But the virus can still be deadly and may change into a more frightening form in the near future, and so people should not be complacent, he added.
So far, swine flu has caused 144 deaths, compared with ordinary flu that kills up to 500,000 people a year.
The pandemic decision might have been made much earlier if WHO had more accurate information about swine flu's rising sweep through Europe. Chan said she called the emergency meeting with flu experts after concerns were raised that some countries, such as Britain, were not accurately reporting their cases.
Chan said the experts unanimously agreed there was a wider spread of swine flu than was being reported.
She would not say which country tipped the world into the pandemic, but WHO flu chief Keiji Fukuda said the situation from Australia seemed to indicate the virus was spreading rapidly there — more than 1,300 cases were reported by Thursday.
In Chile, authorities have identified almost 1,700 cases to WHO.
Many health experts said the world has been in a pandemic for weeks but WHO became too bogged down by politics to declare one. In May, several countries urged WHO not to declare a pandemic, fearing it would cause social and economic turmoil. At the time, WHO said it would rewrite its pandemic definition to avoid announcing one.
But with the recent surge in cases across Europe, Chile, Australia and Japan, the agency was under increasing pressure to acknowledge a pandemic.
"This is WHO finally catching up with the facts," said Michael Osterholm, a flu expert at the University of Minnesota.
David Ropeik, an expert in risk perception and communication at Harvard University, says the word pandemic is less frightening than when emerged during worries about bird flu a few years ago.
He said the "soft buildup" to declaring swine flu a pandemic has been helpful.
"That allows people to get used to what is otherwise a scary word, understand the particulars of the disease, and that should mean reaction will be a little more information-based and a little less emotional," Ropeik said in an e-mail.
WHO will now recommend that pharmaceutical companies make swine flu vaccine. The agency typically recommends which flu strains drug companies should use in the vaccines. In a global outbreak, WHO also advises whether companies should make pandemic vaccine.
The decision to make pandemic vaccine is a gamble. Most flu vaccine makers cannot make both regular seasonal flu vaccine and pandemic vaccine at the same time. That means they must decide which one the world will need more.
Drug giant GlaxoSmithKline PLC said it could start commercial production of pandemic vaccine in July but that it would take months before large quantities are available.
Glaxo spokesman Stephen Rea said the company's first doses of vaccine would be reserved for countries who had ordered it in advance, including Belgium, Britain and France. He said Glaxo would also donate 50 million doses to WHO for poor countries.
Pascal Barollier, a spokesman for Sanofi-Aventis, said they were also working on a pandemic vaccine but WHO had not yet asked them to start making mass quantities of it.
WHO described the pandemic as "moderate." Fukuda said people should not get overly anxious about the virus. "Understand it, put it in context, and then you get on with things," he said.
Still, about half of the people who have died from swine flu were previously young and healthy — people who are not usually susceptible to flu. Swine flu is also crowding out regular flu viruses. Both features are typical of pandemic flu viruses.
Swine flu is also continuing to spread during the start of summer in the northern hemisphere. Normally, flu viruses disappear with warm weather, but swine flu is proving to be resilient.
"What this declaration does do is remind the world that flu viruses like H1N1 need to be taken seriously," said US Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, warning that more cases could crop up in the fall.
Now that a pandemic has been declared, some countries might be prompted to devote more money to containing the virus. Many developed countries have pandemic preparedness plans that link spending to a WHO declaration.
The UN is keen to avoid panic. "We must guard against rash and discriminatory action, such as travel bans or trade restrictions," said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Fear has already gripped Argentina, where thousands have flooded hospitals this week, bringing emergency health services in Buenos Aires to the brink of collapse during winter weather. Last month, a bus arriving in Argentina from Chile was stoned by people who thought a passenger had swine flu.
China has quarantined travelers, including New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, on the slightest suspicion of contact with an infected person.
The US government has already increased the availability of flu-fighting medicines and authorized $1 billion for developing a new swine flu vaccine. In addition, new cases seem to be declining in many parts of the country, US health officials say, as North America moves out of its traditional winter flu season.
Still, New York City reported three more swine flu deaths Thursday, including a child under 2, a teenager and a person in their 30s.
"Countries where outbreaks appear to have peaked should prepare for a second wave of infection," Chan warned.
Update 13: 15 new H1N1 cases bring RP total to 92
ABSCBN NEWS:
The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday announced that 15 more Filipinos have been infected with the influenza A(H1N1) virus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Philippines to 92.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque said the 15 cases are "all mild in nature." Four of them travelled to Japan, Singapore, Mexico, and the United States.
Duque said "contact tracing of said new cases is on-going."
He said 32 of the 92 infected patients have fully recovered from the virus and have been sent home.
The DOH, meanwhile, said classes at the Helera Elementary School in Jaen town in Nueva Ecija province have been suspended due to a confirmed A(H1N1) case in the school. It said the voluntary class suspension started Thursday.
The health department said students and faculty members who came into contact with the infected pupil are being traced and will be asked to self-quarantine.
Meanwhile, ABS-CBN News gathered that classes at the Doña Candelaria Meneses Duque High School in Bulacan town, Bulacan province have also been suspended after several students exhibited flu-like symptoms.
The flu-like illness started from one section of the school's second year level. The illness reportedly spread to other year levels, prompting the school's management to call the DOH's attention.
Throat swab samples taken from the students have been brought to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine office in Alabang, Muntinlupa City. The entire school has been "disinfected."
As of June 10, the WHO said there were already 27,737 confirmed cases and 141 deaths from 74 reporting countries. The latest country to report A(H1N1) is Ukraine.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
UAAP, NCAA inaugurals on despite A(H1N1)
Despite the rising incidence of Influenza A(H1N1) in the metropolis, the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the University Athletic Association of the Philippines leagues will be held as scheduled.
NCAA chief Fr. Mat de Jesus, OSB, of San Beda and UAAP president Anton Montinola of Far Eastern U yesterday said their school league will open their season June 27 and July 11, respectively, at the Araneta Coliseum with the basketball competition despite reported A(H1N1) cases in some member schools.
“Yes, we’re going ahead with everything, God willing,” de Jesus said.
“The UAAP will open as scheduled,” Montinola said during yesterday’s UAAP board meeting.
At the moment, classes in Ateneo and La Salle of the UAAP and St. Benilde of the NCAA have been suspended due to A(H1N1) cases reported in their campuses.
UAAP basketball tournament director Mark Molina said the opening game pitting Univ. of Santo Tomas against Adamson at 2 p.m. and last year’s losing finalist La Salle against University of the East at 4 p.m. on July 11 will not be affected.
Univ. of the Phils. squares off with National U at 2 p.m. and defending champion Ateneo tests Far Eastern U’s mettle at 4 p.m. in another pair of matches on July 12.
NCAA will have reigning three-peat titlist San Beda going up against Mapua at 2 p.m., Jose Rizal versus Letran at 4 p.m. and Perpetual Help against San Sebastian at 6 p.m. in its own opening day offering.
St. Benilde opens its bid against guest team Angeles University Foundation at 2 p.m. while Arellano U and Emilio Aguinaldo College, the two other guest squads, debut at 4 p.m. at The Arena in San Juan City on June 29.
“No changes as far as the NCAA schedule is concerned,” said NCAA management committee chair Jose Mari Lacson of San Beda.
According to the Department of Health, 13 of the reported 57 A(H1N1) cases came from La Salle and one from nearby St. Benilde.
Classes at La Salle was suspended as early as last week while St. Benilde will resume classes on June 19, a week before the 85th NCAA season opening.
Ateneo, which announced Tuesday night it has three students tested positive for the virus, recently suspended its classes and will resume on June 22.
“So far none of our athletes have tested positive and they continue to train,” said Bro. Bernie Oca, La Salle’s representative to the league board.
Management Committee member Henry Atayde of St. Benilde said their participation in the NCAA will not be jeopardized by the A(H1N1) cases although the Blazers will not be joining the pre-season tournament lined up by ABS-CBN for UAAP and NCAA.
The said tournament organized by the two leagues’ official television carrier will pit the best of the UAAP against the finest from the NCAA in what promises to be an interesting battle.
“We will not be joining the tournament of ABS-CBN in compliance with the directives of the Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Health,” said Atayde.
La Salle and UST had already pulled out of the tournament.
NCAA chief Fr. Mat de Jesus, OSB, of San Beda and UAAP president Anton Montinola of Far Eastern U yesterday said their school league will open their season June 27 and July 11, respectively, at the Araneta Coliseum with the basketball competition despite reported A(H1N1) cases in some member schools.
“Yes, we’re going ahead with everything, God willing,” de Jesus said.
“The UAAP will open as scheduled,” Montinola said during yesterday’s UAAP board meeting.
At the moment, classes in Ateneo and La Salle of the UAAP and St. Benilde of the NCAA have been suspended due to A(H1N1) cases reported in their campuses.
UAAP basketball tournament director Mark Molina said the opening game pitting Univ. of Santo Tomas against Adamson at 2 p.m. and last year’s losing finalist La Salle against University of the East at 4 p.m. on July 11 will not be affected.
Univ. of the Phils. squares off with National U at 2 p.m. and defending champion Ateneo tests Far Eastern U’s mettle at 4 p.m. in another pair of matches on July 12.
NCAA will have reigning three-peat titlist San Beda going up against Mapua at 2 p.m., Jose Rizal versus Letran at 4 p.m. and Perpetual Help against San Sebastian at 6 p.m. in its own opening day offering.
St. Benilde opens its bid against guest team Angeles University Foundation at 2 p.m. while Arellano U and Emilio Aguinaldo College, the two other guest squads, debut at 4 p.m. at The Arena in San Juan City on June 29.
“No changes as far as the NCAA schedule is concerned,” said NCAA management committee chair Jose Mari Lacson of San Beda.
According to the Department of Health, 13 of the reported 57 A(H1N1) cases came from La Salle and one from nearby St. Benilde.
Classes at La Salle was suspended as early as last week while St. Benilde will resume classes on June 19, a week before the 85th NCAA season opening.
Ateneo, which announced Tuesday night it has three students tested positive for the virus, recently suspended its classes and will resume on June 22.
“So far none of our athletes have tested positive and they continue to train,” said Bro. Bernie Oca, La Salle’s representative to the league board.
Management Committee member Henry Atayde of St. Benilde said their participation in the NCAA will not be jeopardized by the A(H1N1) cases although the Blazers will not be joining the pre-season tournament lined up by ABS-CBN for UAAP and NCAA.
The said tournament organized by the two leagues’ official television carrier will pit the best of the UAAP against the finest from the NCAA in what promises to be an interesting battle.
“We will not be joining the tournament of ABS-CBN in compliance with the directives of the Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Health,” said Atayde.
La Salle and UST had already pulled out of the tournament.
Update 12: RP's H1N1 cases jump to 77
The Philippines has 23 new confirmed "mild" influenza A (H1N1) cases, all related to the cluster of schools that have voluntarily suspended their classes, the Department of Health (DOH) said Wednesday.
These schools are De La Salle University (DLSU)-Taft, Far Eastern University-East Asia College, De La Salle-College of St. Benilde, St. Andrews School Parañaque, and Ateneo de Manila High School.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque these new cases bring to 77 the country's influenza A (H1N1) cases.
Of the 77 cases, 23 have been discharged. Duque stressed all these cases are just "mild" cases.
Of the 23 new confirmed cases, 19 are Filipinos and 4 are foreigners.
In terms of gender, 18 are males and 5 are females with ages ranging from 8 to 49 years old.
"Seven of the new confirmed cases have a history of travel. The said cases travelled to the US and Japan," Duque said in a statement.
As of June 10, DLSU-Taft had 15 cases; DSLU-College of St. Benilde had 2; FEU-East Asia College had 2; St. Andrew's School had 1; Ateneo High School had 3.
Duque said the rapid increase in cases is due to the "relentless contact tracing done by the DOH in the five affected schools."
All 23 new confirmed mild cases are responding well to treatments, he said.
Duque said "there is still no community spread yet as the new cases were all traced to one case that earlier caught the virus during a travel to an A (H1N1) affected country."
Since May 1, 2009, the DOH said it has monitored a total of 667 Cases Under Observation (CUOs).
Of these, 77 were positive A (H1N1) cases, 85 have pending laboratory results, and 505 were negative and have been discarded. There were 68 new CUOs on Wednesday.
In its latest report dated June 8, the World Health Organization reported 25,288 cases and 139 deaths from 73 reporting countries.
These schools are De La Salle University (DLSU)-Taft, Far Eastern University-East Asia College, De La Salle-College of St. Benilde, St. Andrews School Parañaque, and Ateneo de Manila High School.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque these new cases bring to 77 the country's influenza A (H1N1) cases.
Of the 77 cases, 23 have been discharged. Duque stressed all these cases are just "mild" cases.
Of the 23 new confirmed cases, 19 are Filipinos and 4 are foreigners.
In terms of gender, 18 are males and 5 are females with ages ranging from 8 to 49 years old.
"Seven of the new confirmed cases have a history of travel. The said cases travelled to the US and Japan," Duque said in a statement.
As of June 10, DLSU-Taft had 15 cases; DSLU-College of St. Benilde had 2; FEU-East Asia College had 2; St. Andrew's School had 1; Ateneo High School had 3.
Duque said the rapid increase in cases is due to the "relentless contact tracing done by the DOH in the five affected schools."
All 23 new confirmed mild cases are responding well to treatments, he said.
Duque said "there is still no community spread yet as the new cases were all traced to one case that earlier caught the virus during a travel to an A (H1N1) affected country."
Since May 1, 2009, the DOH said it has monitored a total of 667 Cases Under Observation (CUOs).
Of these, 77 were positive A (H1N1) cases, 85 have pending laboratory results, and 505 were negative and have been discarded. There were 68 new CUOs on Wednesday.
In its latest report dated June 8, the World Health Organization reported 25,288 cases and 139 deaths from 73 reporting countries.
Villar is top ad spender among other candidates for 2010 election whether its for presidential or vice-presidentail race;
The elections are still 11 months away, but already, politicians casting a moist eye on the presidency or the agencies they head are spending fortunes on television advertisements.
Monitoring done by a media research company since October last year showed Sen. Manuel Villar to be the biggest spender of them all.
Villar has spent P321.4 million on TV ads, followed by Senate colleague Mar Roxas, who has used up P256.7 million.
In third place is Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, whose city has spent P115.1 million on advertisements featuring his achievements.
In fourth slot is Vice President Noli de Castro, whose Pag-Ibig Fund Corp. has paid P45.8 million for TV advertisements showing him urging people to avail themselves of cheap housing loans.
He is followed by Sen. Loren Legarda, who has spent P42 million on environmental protection advertising.
Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. is featured in a National Disaster Coordinating Council ad that seeks to promote disaster preparedness and awareness among the people.
The council, which Teodoro chairs, has used up P30.7 million.
Opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson spent the smallest amount of P22 million for his anti-corruption advocacy. He has quit the presidential race for lack of money.
Villar is a self-made billionaire, making his fortune in real estate. The Senate is investigating him for alleged conflict of interest and unethical conduct.
He spent P104.8 million last month, P75.7 million in April, P29.6 million in February, P32.5 million in January, P19.6 million in December, P22.7 million in November, and P36.4 million in October. No spending was reported for March.
Roxas, on the other hand, was born to wealth. He belongs to the family that owns the Araneta Center commercial complex in Cubao, Quezon City.
He spent P39.3 million in May, P114.2 million in April, P32 million in February, and P71.3 million in January.
According to the Commission on Elections, there is no law banning pre-election spending.
The hundreds of millions spent on TV and radio advertisements cannot be considered as election expenses since those who are promoting themselves are not yet candidates.
Election watchdogs have urged Congress to ban or regulate such advertising since it gives undue advantage to moneyed candidates
Monitoring done by a media research company since October last year showed Sen. Manuel Villar to be the biggest spender of them all.
Villar has spent P321.4 million on TV ads, followed by Senate colleague Mar Roxas, who has used up P256.7 million.
In third place is Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, whose city has spent P115.1 million on advertisements featuring his achievements.
In fourth slot is Vice President Noli de Castro, whose Pag-Ibig Fund Corp. has paid P45.8 million for TV advertisements showing him urging people to avail themselves of cheap housing loans.
He is followed by Sen. Loren Legarda, who has spent P42 million on environmental protection advertising.
Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. is featured in a National Disaster Coordinating Council ad that seeks to promote disaster preparedness and awareness among the people.
The council, which Teodoro chairs, has used up P30.7 million.
Opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson spent the smallest amount of P22 million for his anti-corruption advocacy. He has quit the presidential race for lack of money.
Villar is a self-made billionaire, making his fortune in real estate. The Senate is investigating him for alleged conflict of interest and unethical conduct.
He spent P104.8 million last month, P75.7 million in April, P29.6 million in February, P32.5 million in January, P19.6 million in December, P22.7 million in November, and P36.4 million in October. No spending was reported for March.
Roxas, on the other hand, was born to wealth. He belongs to the family that owns the Araneta Center commercial complex in Cubao, Quezon City.
He spent P39.3 million in May, P114.2 million in April, P32 million in February, and P71.3 million in January.
According to the Commission on Elections, there is no law banning pre-election spending.
The hundreds of millions spent on TV and radio advertisements cannot be considered as election expenses since those who are promoting themselves are not yet candidates.
Election watchdogs have urged Congress to ban or regulate such advertising since it gives undue advantage to moneyed candidates
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Update 11: Addtional 3 for AH1N1 case rise to 57 (3 Ateneo High School students with H1N1; six more in DLSU)
Ateneo de Manila High School suspended its classes for 10 days starting today after three of its students were found positive for Influenza A(H1N1) virus.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III yesterday confirmed the addition of eight new cases, but Ateneo’s reported cases last night brought the new tally to eleven, bringing to 57 the total number of infected individuals in the country.
In an advisory posted on its website, Ateneo management announced that High School principal Fr. Raymundo Benedict Hizon received the report of the boy’s infection in the afternoon.
“All three cases are mild. The three infected boys are in fact already feeling better, and are advised to rest at home and continue with their self-quarantine, with no need for hospitalization,” the advisory stated.
Late in the night, the Ateneo Grade School was also reported to have suspended classes.
Duque earlier announced that there were six new cases at De La Salle University-Taft, one of them a 17-year-old American female, and a 16-year-old Filipino male student at DLSU-St. Benilde College.
The total number of cases for DLSU-Taft is now 13.
Another patient, a 44-year-old Filipino male, had a history of travel in the United States.
The DOH regional director in Pangasinan also confirmed that a patient who came from Hawaii was found positive for the virus but is already in good condition.
A female high school student of St. Andrew’s School in Parañaque who just arrived from Canada also tested positive yesterday.
Classes in that school have been temporarily suspended.
Racking up statistics
Duque also clarified that while the Philippines is among the countries in the Western Pacific region with the highest number of cases, this is primarily because of aggressive contact tracing.
He said the Department of Health (DOH) is actively combing for possible infections and this is contributing to the continued rise in the number of cases in the country.
“The registered cases (in other countries) are low but we think it’s because of surveillance. Maybe they are not aggressively looking for cases so it appears that cases there are increasing slowly,” he claimed in a radio interview.
He said the Philippines does not close its airports to international travelers and that there are travelers who fail to heed DOH’s call to observe a 10-day quarantine period upon arrival.
Records of the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region showed that as of June 8, Australia posted the highest number of cases at 1,051.
This was followed by Japan with 410; China with 134; South Korea with 47; Singapore with 15; New Zealand with 17; Vietnam with nine and Malaysia with five.
“Singapore is small but it has the highest number of cases if we base it on the (percentage of) total population,” he noted.
New strategy
Through all this, Duque met with WHO Technical Adviser Dr. Hiroshi Oshitani to discuss the DOH’s plan to shift its A(H1N1) control strategy from containment to mitigation, amid the continuing rise of cases.
“We also talked about the country’s surveillance capabilities, laboratory capacity, and other measures such as school closures and contact-tracing to mitigate the effects of A(H1N1),” he said.
Under the mitigation strategy, the DOH will do away with contract tracing and will, instead, do early detection and aggressive treatment of cases, especially those with pre-existing conditions like diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and others.
Those with mild symptoms can be managed and monitored at home and only patients at risk of developing complications will be sent to hospital.
A(H1N1) cases will then become part of the DOH’s influenza-like illnesses surveillance activity and one of its “notifiable diseases.”
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III yesterday confirmed the addition of eight new cases, but Ateneo’s reported cases last night brought the new tally to eleven, bringing to 57 the total number of infected individuals in the country.
In an advisory posted on its website, Ateneo management announced that High School principal Fr. Raymundo Benedict Hizon received the report of the boy’s infection in the afternoon.
“All three cases are mild. The three infected boys are in fact already feeling better, and are advised to rest at home and continue with their self-quarantine, with no need for hospitalization,” the advisory stated.
Late in the night, the Ateneo Grade School was also reported to have suspended classes.
Duque earlier announced that there were six new cases at De La Salle University-Taft, one of them a 17-year-old American female, and a 16-year-old Filipino male student at DLSU-St. Benilde College.
The total number of cases for DLSU-Taft is now 13.
Another patient, a 44-year-old Filipino male, had a history of travel in the United States.
The DOH regional director in Pangasinan also confirmed that a patient who came from Hawaii was found positive for the virus but is already in good condition.
A female high school student of St. Andrew’s School in Parañaque who just arrived from Canada also tested positive yesterday.
Classes in that school have been temporarily suspended.
Racking up statistics
Duque also clarified that while the Philippines is among the countries in the Western Pacific region with the highest number of cases, this is primarily because of aggressive contact tracing.
He said the Department of Health (DOH) is actively combing for possible infections and this is contributing to the continued rise in the number of cases in the country.
“The registered cases (in other countries) are low but we think it’s because of surveillance. Maybe they are not aggressively looking for cases so it appears that cases there are increasing slowly,” he claimed in a radio interview.
He said the Philippines does not close its airports to international travelers and that there are travelers who fail to heed DOH’s call to observe a 10-day quarantine period upon arrival.
Records of the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region showed that as of June 8, Australia posted the highest number of cases at 1,051.
This was followed by Japan with 410; China with 134; South Korea with 47; Singapore with 15; New Zealand with 17; Vietnam with nine and Malaysia with five.
“Singapore is small but it has the highest number of cases if we base it on the (percentage of) total population,” he noted.
New strategy
Through all this, Duque met with WHO Technical Adviser Dr. Hiroshi Oshitani to discuss the DOH’s plan to shift its A(H1N1) control strategy from containment to mitigation, amid the continuing rise of cases.
“We also talked about the country’s surveillance capabilities, laboratory capacity, and other measures such as school closures and contact-tracing to mitigate the effects of A(H1N1),” he said.
Under the mitigation strategy, the DOH will do away with contract tracing and will, instead, do early detection and aggressive treatment of cases, especially those with pre-existing conditions like diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and others.
Those with mild symptoms can be managed and monitored at home and only patients at risk of developing complications will be sent to hospital.
A(H1N1) cases will then become part of the DOH’s influenza-like illnesses surveillance activity and one of its “notifiable diseases.”
Update 10: RP's H1N1 cases climb to 54
The Department on Health on Tuesday confirmed eight more new cases of influenza A (H1N1), bringing the total number of the country’s cases to 54.
“We are expecting the number to increase because of the aggressive contact tracing that the Department of Health (DOH) is doing right now and our hospitals have been ready for this situation. These new cases are also like the previous ones that are mild in nature, very similar to the cases seen in other affected counties," Health Secretary Francisco Duque said in a statement.
The eight new confirmed cases include seven Filipinos and one foreigner. Four are males and four are females with an age range of 16-44 years old. Six of the cases are students of the De La Salle University, while one is the first confirmed case from the De La Salle-College of St. Benilde. Two of the eight new confirmed cases had a history of travel. The said cases travelled to the US.
Duque said that all new cases are responding positively to the treatment.
The health secretary said he met with World Health Organization (WHO) Technical Adviser Dr. Hiroshi Oshitani and discussed plans on how to go about the shift from containment to mitigation. “We also talked about the country’s surveillance capabilities, laboratory capacity, and other measures such as school closures and contact-tracing to mitigate the effects of A (H1N1)”, he added.
He said individuals suspected of contracting influenza A (H1N1) should remain isolated. He said that while there is no need to wear masks, quarantine entire rooms or floors and suspend business activities, all businesses should have a contingency plan to ensure the continuity of their operation.
He said people who have had close contact with confirmed cases of swine flu will be given free treatment in designated DOH referral hospitals.
High risk individuals who will be given treatment priority are 1) Those who have flu-like symptoms and have recently travelled from affected countries; and 2) Symptomatic individuals who were known close contacts of confirmed cases.
Since May 1, 2009, the DOH has monitored a total of 599 cases under observation. Of these, 54 were positive A (H1N1) cases, 148 have pending laboratory results, and 397 were negative for A(H1N1) and have been discarded. There are 58 new cases under observation, as of Tuesday.
In their latest report, the WHO reported 25,288 cases and 139 deaths from 73 reporting countries. Cayman’s Islands, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago and United Arab Emirates are the newest countries with confirmed A (H1N1) cases.
“We are expecting the number to increase because of the aggressive contact tracing that the Department of Health (DOH) is doing right now and our hospitals have been ready for this situation. These new cases are also like the previous ones that are mild in nature, very similar to the cases seen in other affected counties," Health Secretary Francisco Duque said in a statement.
The eight new confirmed cases include seven Filipinos and one foreigner. Four are males and four are females with an age range of 16-44 years old. Six of the cases are students of the De La Salle University, while one is the first confirmed case from the De La Salle-College of St. Benilde. Two of the eight new confirmed cases had a history of travel. The said cases travelled to the US.
Duque said that all new cases are responding positively to the treatment.
The health secretary said he met with World Health Organization (WHO) Technical Adviser Dr. Hiroshi Oshitani and discussed plans on how to go about the shift from containment to mitigation. “We also talked about the country’s surveillance capabilities, laboratory capacity, and other measures such as school closures and contact-tracing to mitigate the effects of A (H1N1)”, he added.
He said individuals suspected of contracting influenza A (H1N1) should remain isolated. He said that while there is no need to wear masks, quarantine entire rooms or floors and suspend business activities, all businesses should have a contingency plan to ensure the continuity of their operation.
He said people who have had close contact with confirmed cases of swine flu will be given free treatment in designated DOH referral hospitals.
High risk individuals who will be given treatment priority are 1) Those who have flu-like symptoms and have recently travelled from affected countries; and 2) Symptomatic individuals who were known close contacts of confirmed cases.
Since May 1, 2009, the DOH has monitored a total of 599 cases under observation. Of these, 54 were positive A (H1N1) cases, 148 have pending laboratory results, and 397 were negative for A(H1N1) and have been discarded. There are 58 new cases under observation, as of Tuesday.
In their latest report, the WHO reported 25,288 cases and 139 deaths from 73 reporting countries. Cayman’s Islands, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago and United Arab Emirates are the newest countries with confirmed A (H1N1) cases.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Update 9: RP's H1N1 cases jump to 46
The Department on Health on Tuesday confirmed eight more new cases of influenza A (H1N1), bringing the total number of the country’s cases to 54.
“We are expecting the number to increase because of the aggressive contact tracing that the Department of Health (DOH) is doing right now and our hospitals have been ready for this situation. These new cases are also like the previous ones that are mild in nature, very similar to the cases seen in other affected counties," Health Secretary Francisco Duque said in a statement.
The eight new confirmed cases include seven Filipinos and one foreigner. Four are males and four are females with an age range of 16-44 years old. Six of the cases are students of the De La Salle University, while one is the first confirmed case from the De La Salle-College of St. Benilde.
Two of the eight new confirmed cases had a history of travel. The said cases travelled to the US.
Duque said the eight infected are responding positively to treatment.
The health secretary said he met with World Health Organization (WHO) Technical Adviser Dr. Hiroshi Oshitani and discussed plans on how to go about the shift from containment to mitigation. “We also talked about the country’s surveillance capabilities, laboratory capacity, and other measures such as school closures and contact-tracing to mitigate the effects of A (H1N1)”, he added.
He said individuals suspected of contracting influenza A (H1N1) should remain isolated. He said that while there is no need to wear masks, quarantine entire rooms or floors and suspend business activities, all businesses should have a contingency plan to ensure the continuity of their operation.
He said people who have had close contact with confirmed cases of swine flu will be given free treatment in designated DOH referral hospitals.
High risk individuals who will be given treatment priority are 1) Those who have flu-like symptoms and have recently travelled from affected countries; and 2) Symptomatic individuals who were known close contacts of confirmed cases.
Since May 1, 2009, the DOH has monitored a total of 599 cases under observation. Of these, 54 were positive A (H1N1) cases, 148 have pending laboratory results, and 397 were negative for A(H1N1) and have been discarded. There are 58 new cases under observation, as of Tuesday.
In their latest report, the WHO reported 25,288 cases and 139 deaths from 73 reporting countries. Cayman’s Islands, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago and United Arab Emirates are the newest countries with confirmed A (H1N1) cases.
“We are expecting the number to increase because of the aggressive contact tracing that the Department of Health (DOH) is doing right now and our hospitals have been ready for this situation. These new cases are also like the previous ones that are mild in nature, very similar to the cases seen in other affected counties," Health Secretary Francisco Duque said in a statement.
The eight new confirmed cases include seven Filipinos and one foreigner. Four are males and four are females with an age range of 16-44 years old. Six of the cases are students of the De La Salle University, while one is the first confirmed case from the De La Salle-College of St. Benilde.
Two of the eight new confirmed cases had a history of travel. The said cases travelled to the US.
Duque said the eight infected are responding positively to treatment.
The health secretary said he met with World Health Organization (WHO) Technical Adviser Dr. Hiroshi Oshitani and discussed plans on how to go about the shift from containment to mitigation. “We also talked about the country’s surveillance capabilities, laboratory capacity, and other measures such as school closures and contact-tracing to mitigate the effects of A (H1N1)”, he added.
He said individuals suspected of contracting influenza A (H1N1) should remain isolated. He said that while there is no need to wear masks, quarantine entire rooms or floors and suspend business activities, all businesses should have a contingency plan to ensure the continuity of their operation.
He said people who have had close contact with confirmed cases of swine flu will be given free treatment in designated DOH referral hospitals.
High risk individuals who will be given treatment priority are 1) Those who have flu-like symptoms and have recently travelled from affected countries; and 2) Symptomatic individuals who were known close contacts of confirmed cases.
Since May 1, 2009, the DOH has monitored a total of 599 cases under observation. Of these, 54 were positive A (H1N1) cases, 148 have pending laboratory results, and 397 were negative for A(H1N1) and have been discarded. There are 58 new cases under observation, as of Tuesday.
In their latest report, the WHO reported 25,288 cases and 139 deaths from 73 reporting countries. Cayman’s Islands, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago and United Arab Emirates are the newest countries with confirmed A (H1N1) cases.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Update 8: H1N1 cases in RP rise to 39
The Department of Health on Monday confirmed six new cases of influenza A (H1N1) in the Philippines, bringing to 39 the total number of people in the country infected with the virus.
In a Senate hearing on the Cheaper Medicines Act, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said all confirmed A (H1N1) cases in the country exhibited symptoms of a "mild form of influenza." He said none of the people infected with the virus has died and most have responded positively to treatment.
Duque did not say where the new A (H1N1) cases were detected and how the people contracted the virus. He added, however, that the health department will need to shift tactics to prevent the further spread of the virus.
He said frequent handwashing and social distancing as well as eating nutritious food would help prevent the spread of the virus.
In a related development, an elementary school in Marikina City suspended classes Monday after a Grade VI pupil exhibited flu-like symptoms in class.
Marikina Mayor Marides Fernando said she suspended classes at the Calumpang Elementary School after rumors spread that a pupil had contracted swine flu. She said the pupil later turned out to have contracted diphtheria.
She said classes at the school are expected to resume Tuesday.
The Department of Education (DepEd) said Sunday it is not planning the cancellation of classes in public elementary and secondary school, after the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) moved the start of classes in all colleges and universities nationwide to June 15 due to cases of influenza A (H1N1) in several universities.
DepEd Public Information Officer Kenneth Tirado said the agency will not cancel classes in public elementary and high schools despite confirmed cases of influenza A (H1N1) in two major universities.
The DepEd said the reported cases in De La Salle University and Far Eastern University are mostly from foreign exchange students, and that most elementary and high school students have little or no contact with foreign students.
The DepEd also said that students in public schools rarely travel abroad, compared to their counterparts in private schools.
Meanwhile, the education department said it will let private elementary and secondary schools decide on their own if they will cancel classes.
The department said it only has authority over private schools with regard to curricular concerns, and not over administrative and operational concerns.
The DepEd also reiterated that they already have protocols regarding the suspension of classes if ever there are reported cases of influenza A (H1N1) in schools
In a Senate hearing on the Cheaper Medicines Act, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said all confirmed A (H1N1) cases in the country exhibited symptoms of a "mild form of influenza." He said none of the people infected with the virus has died and most have responded positively to treatment.
Duque did not say where the new A (H1N1) cases were detected and how the people contracted the virus. He added, however, that the health department will need to shift tactics to prevent the further spread of the virus.
He said frequent handwashing and social distancing as well as eating nutritious food would help prevent the spread of the virus.
In a related development, an elementary school in Marikina City suspended classes Monday after a Grade VI pupil exhibited flu-like symptoms in class.
Marikina Mayor Marides Fernando said she suspended classes at the Calumpang Elementary School after rumors spread that a pupil had contracted swine flu. She said the pupil later turned out to have contracted diphtheria.
She said classes at the school are expected to resume Tuesday.
The Department of Education (DepEd) said Sunday it is not planning the cancellation of classes in public elementary and secondary school, after the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) moved the start of classes in all colleges and universities nationwide to June 15 due to cases of influenza A (H1N1) in several universities.
DepEd Public Information Officer Kenneth Tirado said the agency will not cancel classes in public elementary and high schools despite confirmed cases of influenza A (H1N1) in two major universities.
The DepEd said the reported cases in De La Salle University and Far Eastern University are mostly from foreign exchange students, and that most elementary and high school students have little or no contact with foreign students.
The DepEd also said that students in public schools rarely travel abroad, compared to their counterparts in private schools.
Meanwhile, the education department said it will let private elementary and secondary schools decide on their own if they will cancel classes.
The department said it only has authority over private schools with regard to curricular concerns, and not over administrative and operational concerns.
The DepEd also reiterated that they already have protocols regarding the suspension of classes if ever there are reported cases of influenza A (H1N1) in schools
Friday, June 5, 2009
UPDATE 7: 4 new A(H1N1) cases in RP; total now at 33
MANILA, Philippines – The total number of confirmed Influenza A(H1N1) cases in the country soared to 33, with four new cases discovered today, the Department of Health (DOH) announced.
Addressing reporters at a press conference today, DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III said the latest patients include two siblings aged 9 and 11, and one who arrived home last Monday.
The fourth case is another student of the De La Salle University — the third in the school to be infected with the virus.
Addressing reporters at a press conference today, DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III said the latest patients include two siblings aged 9 and 11, and one who arrived home last Monday.
The fourth case is another student of the De La Salle University — the third in the school to be infected with the virus.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Bellarocca Island Resort & Spa (Marinduque, Philippines)
Bellarocca Island Resort and Spa in Marinduque, Philippines just opened last February 14, 2009. The Mediterranean architecture sets it apart from other luxury resorts.
Marinduque is a quiet town I plan to explore soon. Popular for its Moriones Festival during lent season. But I am more excited that beyond the seaside cliffs and and valley hills, there are still a lot of unexplored caves, waterfalls, hot springs and distinct flora and faunas.
Only Zest Air offers flight to Marinduque four times a week.
The beauty of Marinduque is mystical, and the addition of a weekend getaway like Bellarocca Resorts is something that Philippines can be proud of. And its the closest I can get to my dream Santorini getaway for now.
The resort’s facility includes ten private villas, thirty hotel rooms (with diverse choice from hotel deluxe rooms, junior suites and 1-bedroom suites), food and beverage outlets and water sports activities and tours.
All villas are equipped with its own private infinity pool that look out into Sibuyan Sea. Individual golf carts are also provided.
Here’s more and I bet you’ll be checking for flights to Marinduque after reading:
Seaside Pavilion Eternity Pool with Sunken Bar
Natural Hot Spring Swimming Pool
Meditation Sanctuary with Pilates and Yoga Instructors
Tea House with uninterrupted view of the ocean
Picnic grove engulfed by lush tropical gardens
Seaside Cafe and Marina
Rejuvenating Spa services at the Hillside Spa Room
Hotel facilities include fine dining restaurant, Piano Lounge, lap pool for swimmers and deck beds for sun worshipers.
Unwind and relax to a total comfort zone surrounded by pristine water, lush garden, stunning sea side view and clear blue skies. Bellarocca has an ongoing promo that extends up to 40% off their Special Introductory rates until Oct. 31, 2009. Did I mention it is inclusive of a yacht / speedboat transfers from the Airport to the Island and back? Refreshments are served on board.
For golf enthusiast, Bellarocca offers a 9-hole golf course.
*Rates are Per Room Per Night, Single or Twin Sharing (unless otherwise indicated above, in US DOLLARS, INCLUSIVE of 12%
government Tax & 10% Service Charge and are subject to change without prior notice.
* Adult pricing begins at 13 years and older.
* US Dollar rates are converted to Philippine Pesos at the time of payment.
* Minimum night stays may apply during Peak Travel Periods:
PEAK PERIODS: Christmas & New Year (Dec. 18, 2009 – 03, 2010);
Chinese New Year (January 23 – February 01, 2009) & (February 07-14, 2010);
Easter (April 5-12, 2009); Golden Week (April 26 – May 10, 2009); Obon Period (August 7-16, 2009)
Inclusions PER ROOM PER NIGHT, single or twin sharing:
· Seas transfers by yacht / speedboat (Marinduque Airport – Resort – Marinduque Airport) with light refreshments served on board
o weather & sea conditions permitting; otherwise land transfers arrangements will be provided
· Welcome refreshments at the Resort
· Intimate and luxurious accommodation with individual climate control; Plasma TV with complete DVD Player and stereo system, satellite cable TV and pay-per-view movies; Ipod dock & speakers; pillow selections; modern bath & rain shower facilities with complete range of bathroom amenities; and private balcony or garden
o All villas have its own eternity pool, jacuzzi, pocket garden, and golf cart
· Complimentary internet connectivity
· Complimentary drinking bottles of water in the room, replenished daily
· Complimentary coffee & tea selections in room
· Use of the golf carts
· Complimentary access to the resort’s range of exclusive facilities and recreational activities, i.e. 9-hole golf course, 3 main swimming pools, tea house, meditation sanctuary and fitness gym
TRANSFERS BETWEEN MANILA AND MARINDUQUE:
§ Private transfers - luxury yachts, charter flights, and helicopter arrangements between Manila and Marinduque are coursed through our Reservations Department.
§ All flights have limited seats and are confirmed on a first come-first serve basis.
§ Actual schedules may change depending on seasonality and weather conditions.
§ Commercial flights may be coursed through the airline/s’ respective online reservations or through their reservations departments.
INTRODUCTORY RATES: Valid from 14 March 2009 to 31 October 2009 (except Peak Travel Dates)
Room Number of Rooms PUBLISHED NETT RATES IN $ RATES IN U.S. DOLLARS (40% off)
Room Number of Rooms PUBLISHED NETT RATES IN $ RATES IN U.S. DOLLARS (40% off)
Hotel Deluxe Rooms 21 420.00 252.00
Hotel Junior Suites 3 480.00 288.00
Hotel One (1) Bedroom Suites 6 660.00 396.00
Terraza –Two (2) Bedrooms
(maximum of 4 adults) 10 540.00 324.00
Casa – One (1) Bedroom 7 480.00 288.00
Casa – Two (2) Bedrooms
(maximum of 4 adults) 6 600.00 360.00
Casa – Three (3) Bedrooms
(maximum of 6 adults) 6 720.00 432.00
Garden or Cliff Villa – One (1) Bedroom 5 840.00 504.00
Garden or Cliff Villa – Two (2) Bedrooms
(maximum of 4 adults) 5 1,320.00 792.00
Child Policy (12 yrs. old & below)
* Maximum of 2 children in the room, sharing room with at least 2 adults are COMPLIMENTARY.
Website: http://www.bellarocaresorts.com
E-mail: info@bellaroccaresorts.com
UPDATE 6: A(H1N1) cases in RP jump to 29
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Seven new cases of swine flu confirmed Thursday brought to 29 the number of people sickened with the virus in the Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH) said.
Among them is a 20-year-old Japanese graduate student who came into contact with a fellow Japanese exchange student at Manila's De La Salle University, DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III told reporters.
The exchange student tested positive 17 days after arriving in Manila on May 12, prompting the suspension of classes at La Salle for 10 days. The university has about 13,000 students.
The six other patients, including a 33-year-old pregnant woman, are Filipinos who recently visited the US, Duque said.
The World Health Organization has warned that pregnant women were particularly vulnerable to the virus.
Duque said all the cases in the Philippines showed only mild symptoms of the flu and 14 have already recovered and were sent home.
Reacting to a possible declaration by the WHO of a pandemic level 6, Duque said such a move should be made carefully and prudently by considering the severity of the disease, not just the geographic range of the virus.
"We do not want a disproportionately destructive global scare from a virus that has thus far only shown mild symptoms in most of the cases that we are seeing in affected countries," he said.
"We do not need this at a time of great economic crisis and uncertainty. But at the same time, we should not also underestimate the potential of the virus to become more severe in the future," he added.
According to WHO's pandemic criteria, the world is now in phase 5, meaning a global outbreak is imminent. To reach phase 6, the highest level, the agency's definition requires the spread of the disease in a region beyond North America.
The WHO says the disease has reached 66 countries and infected more than 19,000 people, causing 117 deaths.
The DOH also said it was looking into the case of a Filipino woman who tested positive for the virus shortly after arriving in Saudi Arabia where she works as a nurse, becoming the first swine flu case in that country.
Among them is a 20-year-old Japanese graduate student who came into contact with a fellow Japanese exchange student at Manila's De La Salle University, DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III told reporters.
The exchange student tested positive 17 days after arriving in Manila on May 12, prompting the suspension of classes at La Salle for 10 days. The university has about 13,000 students.
The six other patients, including a 33-year-old pregnant woman, are Filipinos who recently visited the US, Duque said.
The World Health Organization has warned that pregnant women were particularly vulnerable to the virus.
Duque said all the cases in the Philippines showed only mild symptoms of the flu and 14 have already recovered and were sent home.
Reacting to a possible declaration by the WHO of a pandemic level 6, Duque said such a move should be made carefully and prudently by considering the severity of the disease, not just the geographic range of the virus.
"We do not want a disproportionately destructive global scare from a virus that has thus far only shown mild symptoms in most of the cases that we are seeing in affected countries," he said.
"We do not need this at a time of great economic crisis and uncertainty. But at the same time, we should not also underestimate the potential of the virus to become more severe in the future," he added.
According to WHO's pandemic criteria, the world is now in phase 5, meaning a global outbreak is imminent. To reach phase 6, the highest level, the agency's definition requires the spread of the disease in a region beyond North America.
The WHO says the disease has reached 66 countries and infected more than 19,000 people, causing 117 deaths.
The DOH also said it was looking into the case of a Filipino woman who tested positive for the virus shortly after arriving in Saudi Arabia where she works as a nurse, becoming the first swine flu case in that country.
Monday, June 1, 2009
UPDATE 5: DOH: 5 new A(H1N1) cases in RP; total now at 21
There are five new confirmed influenza A (H1N1) cases in the country, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said on Monday. However, seven of the 16 who had previously been found positive have tested negative after a second test.
According to Duque, five more cases under observation turned positive of the H1N1 virus and are undergoing further tests by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).
Two of the five confirmed new cases were infected at the wedding attended by two Taiwanese nationals who were found to have H1N1 after returning to Taiwan. Three are Filipinos who returned from the United States.
Duque said seven previously confirmed cases were found negative after the Polymerase Chain Reactor (PCR) test was repeated. Three of the seven have already been discharged while another four will be discharged Monday (June 1).
Duque clarified, however, that they will not discharge the confirmed cases unless they have undergone thorough examination and quarantine.
Although one or two of the positive cases are students, Duque clarified that they are unlikely to spread the infection to their classmates as the health department is making sure they are quarantined and fully recover before being discharged.
Duque also explained that the health department has already advised public schools teachers to be on the lookout for possible Influenza-like illnesses among the students. Guidelines were also given to the schools in case a student shows symptoms of the infection.
The first positive case of influenza A (H1N1) came out on May 22. In less than 10 days, the number of confirmed cases has escalated to 14.
Duque said the health department is currently monitoring 46 additional cases. "We have 32 pending results and 13 new cases [under observation]," Duque said.
According to the health secretary, the country is currently at Alert Level 2. "We have confirmed cases but we don't have an outbreak," he added.
If there is one confirmed case in a school, Education Secretary Jesli Lapuz said that the alert level will rise to Level 3, prompting the principal to suspend classes. If additional cases turn out positive, the alert level will escalate to Level 4.
According to Reuters, as of May 31, there were 15,922 people with the new H1N1 flu strain in 57 countries with 115 deaths mostly in Mexico.
as of 06/01/2009 4:54 PM
According to Duque, five more cases under observation turned positive of the H1N1 virus and are undergoing further tests by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).
Two of the five confirmed new cases were infected at the wedding attended by two Taiwanese nationals who were found to have H1N1 after returning to Taiwan. Three are Filipinos who returned from the United States.
Duque said seven previously confirmed cases were found negative after the Polymerase Chain Reactor (PCR) test was repeated. Three of the seven have already been discharged while another four will be discharged Monday (June 1).
Duque clarified, however, that they will not discharge the confirmed cases unless they have undergone thorough examination and quarantine.
Although one or two of the positive cases are students, Duque clarified that they are unlikely to spread the infection to their classmates as the health department is making sure they are quarantined and fully recover before being discharged.
Duque also explained that the health department has already advised public schools teachers to be on the lookout for possible Influenza-like illnesses among the students. Guidelines were also given to the schools in case a student shows symptoms of the infection.
The first positive case of influenza A (H1N1) came out on May 22. In less than 10 days, the number of confirmed cases has escalated to 14.
Duque said the health department is currently monitoring 46 additional cases. "We have 32 pending results and 13 new cases [under observation]," Duque said.
According to the health secretary, the country is currently at Alert Level 2. "We have confirmed cases but we don't have an outbreak," he added.
If there is one confirmed case in a school, Education Secretary Jesli Lapuz said that the alert level will rise to Level 3, prompting the principal to suspend classes. If additional cases turn out positive, the alert level will escalate to Level 4.
According to Reuters, as of May 31, there were 15,922 people with the new H1N1 flu strain in 57 countries with 115 deaths mostly in Mexico.
as of 06/01/2009 4:54 PM
http://abs-cbnnews.com/nation/06/01/09/duque-rp-has-5-new-h1n1-cases
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