No super flu in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — No case of the so-called super flu currently circulating overseas has been recorded in the country, according to the Department of Health.

DOH Secretary Ted Herbosa said the department is closely watching travelers coming from areas with a high incidence of the influenza A subclade K.

“We do not have the subclade K cases here yet,” Herbosa said in Filipino in a television interview yesterday.

The health chief said senior citizens and people with comorbidities are most at risk of acquiring the strain, which can spread through the air.

He noted that subclade K is being flagged abroad because it may evade protection from some flu vaccines used in winter.

To identify the variants, Herbosa said, the DOH is conducting surveillance and random sampling.

He said seniors and immunocompromised patients are being prioritized for flu shots to protect against the infection.