DOH provides medicine to jail inmates

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Health (DOH)-7 has given Oseltamavir or Tamiflu to the 177 inmates and one guard of the Mandaue City Jail after six tested positive of the Influenza A(H1N1) virus.

This was done because the others that have suffered flu symptoms are believed to also have contracted the virus.

“Swab samples taken from the six inmates confirmed that they were positive of Influenza A (H1N1) and the more or less 200 more inmates were considered to have been inflicted the same,” said DOH spokesperon Cora Lou Kintanar in an interview with The Freeman.

Kintanar said that in order to prevent further spread of the virus, they are recommending to the jail management to limit visitations starting yesterday until the next ten days.

The Mandaue City Jail has a total of 663 inmates.

Kintanar said that the cause of death fo an inmate who died last week was not the virus, but due to withdrawal from substance abuse.

She further said that those inmates who do not have any fever or flu were already given vitamin C to boost their immune system.

Last month, more than 600 maritime students from the University of Cebu Lapu-Lapu-Mandaue were put under quarantine after three students tested positive of the said influenza last June 21.

The school suspended its classes for eight days beginning June 22 until June 28.

Influenza A(H1N1) is a new virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in people in April 2009 in the United States. This virus is spreading from person-to –person, probably in much the same way that the regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.

With the latest six new cases, Central Visayas has a total of 348 cases of Influenza A (H1N1). No deaths wee reported so far in the region.

DOH said that Influenza A (H1N1) is fatal to humans.

Signs and symptoms in humans is similar to the symptoms of regular flu such as fever, headache, fatigue, lack of appetite, runny nose, sore throat, cough, vomiting or nausea and diarrhea.

The virus is transmitted by exposure to droplets from the cough and sneeze of the infected person. Influenza A (H1N1) is not transmitted by eating thoroughly cooked pork.

Meanwhile, Department of Labor and Employment clarified that it was not giving P75,000 to victims of the A(H1N1) virus.

Labor officials reiterated that the public and private health workers diagnosed with the virus may avail of the P150,000 PhilHealth hospitalization benefit, on top of company healthcare benefits if any.

On the other hand, non-health workers and their dependents who are diagnosed with H1N1 may avail of PhilHealth hospital benefits amounting to P75,000.

A worker who contracts H1N1 in the performance of his/her work is also entitled to sickness benefits under SSS and employees compensation benefits under PD 626 or the ECC law.

The DOLE earlier called on employers and workers groups to take precautionary measures against influenza A (H1N1) as it formed a task force to strengthen measures aimed at combating an outbreak of the disease in the country’s workplaces.

DOLE secretary Marianito Roque in a press statement furnished to The Freeman said that in view of the growing number of diagnosed cases of H1N1 in the country, the DOLE deemed it necessary to form the “Task Force on H1N1 in the Workplace” as provided for by DOLE Administrative Order No. 199, series of 2009.

Roque said the task force would serve as the DOLE focal point on H1N1 matters affecting workers and employers pursuant to DOLE Department Advisory No. 04, series of 2009, enjoining employers to institute measures against H1N1 infection and its spread in their workplaces. —/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)