First A (H1N1) Influenza Case in the Philippines

Labels: News on Friday, May 22, 2009 at May 22, 2009

Thursday evening (May 22, 2009), the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed the first A (H1N1) Influenza case in the country.

The patient is a 10 year old girl who just came from the Canada and USA. She entered the country on May 18. The following day, she developed symptoms. Test results came back positive Thursday afternoon. The child was immediately given medication. According to the news, the child no longer has fever and cough but still has sore throat. The girl is currently being treated in quarantine. However, no information was given on where she is right now.

In another news, the DOH is monitoring 4 new suspected cases of flu. Among them is a 10-month-old baby who arrived in the country from Thailand. The baby girl is the youngest suspected A(H1N1) case in the country. Other new suspected cases are: a 64-year-old Filipina from the US, a 32-year-old Filipina from Hong Kong, and a 6-year-old boy from Germany. Test results for these new suspected cases are expected to come out on friday.

In the mean time, Health Undersecretary Mario Villaverde encourages the public to observe proper hygience, strengthen resistance and to avoid going to crowded areas if the need is not urgent.

I hope this can be controlled right away and that no outbreak will happen.

Read the PDI article here.