1st H1N1 case in Mindanao

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Mindanao has confirmed its first recorded case of Influenza A(H1N1), more than a month after the viral infection was first confirmed in the country.

The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday said 48 more “mild” cases were reported over the past two days, bringing the total count to 392.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that of the 392 cases, 275 or 70 percent have fully recovered and have been discharged from hospitals.

He said 45 of the 48 new cases are Filipinos while the rest are foreigners. Twelve of them have traveled to countries with confirmed H1N1 cases, and their ages ranged from one to 53.

A four-year-old boy, who hails from one of the towns in Agusan in the Caraga region, was reportedly referred to the Davao Medical Center (DMC) for proper isolation and treatment.

DMC administrator Dr. Leopoldo de Vega said the boy just arrived from Hong Kong and developed flu symptoms.

De Vega said the boy was admitted to the isolation ward along with a nine-year-old girl who also showed flu-like symptoms, but results of her throat swab samples that were sent to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Manila was still being awaited.

The girl reportedly had close contact with the four-year-old boy, the first positive case admitted at the hospital after at least 38 other previous patients tested negative and were discharged in the past few weeks.

BFAD, DTI tapped

Duque has directed the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) to be on guard against anti-flu vaccines that might be promoted as protection against the virus.

“I directed the BFAD to study if there is misrepresentation. I asked them to be on guard because many people may take advantage of the situation,” he said.

The health chief observed that flu vaccines are being advertised as such without clarifying that they are not for A(H1N1) in particular.

“In that aspect they are right but that is a half-truth. People might think that it is against A(H1N1) but it’s not,” he added.

Duque has also asked Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila to come out with suggested retail prices for face masks amid reports that prices have begun to soar.

However, he clarified that the DOH does not recommend wearing masks because this could only give a false sense of security that they are protected against infection.

Racking up statistics

The virus, however, continues to infect a lot of people and its containment has become a perennial problem.

A US naval surveillance ship and its crew were quarantined and tested for flu-like symptoms upon arrival at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales Saturday morning.

A report from ABS-CBN News said the USNS Impeccable, an ocean surveillance ship, arrived at the freeport at around 10:30 a.m. from Japan for bunkering and change of crew.

The ship was scheduled to leave the freeport tomorrow.

Health workers at the freeport, led by Dr. Solomon Jacalne, subjected the vessel to quarantine, and each crewmember was screened for flu-like symptoms. The crewmen, however, have been cleared.

In Makati, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) general manager Robert Nacianceno admitted that two of their parking and rescue employees have tested positive for the virus.

Nacianceno said the two were among the 14 who earlier had shown flu-like symptoms.

The two were taken to the San Lazaro Hospital and were subsequently sent to the RITM for testing.

“We are now coordinating with the DOH for the immediate implementation of anti-flu vaccinations of the 12,000 MMDA personnel,” he said. – With Christina Mendez, Miriam Desacada and Jose Rodel Clapano