THE Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 14 laboratory-confirmed Influenza A (H1N1) cases in the country, after confirming four more new cases today.

But health officials still did not recommend the postponement of the opening of classes on June 1.

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DOH Sec. Francisco Duque III said yesterday the two newly confirmed cases traveled from the United States—a 19-year-
old female and a seven-year-old girl.

The other two cases were contacts of the Taiwanese nationals, a 42-year-old female and a 20-year-old male.

He added that the 14 cases that have so far been confirmed as positive for H1N1 have shown relatively mild symptoms.

They are being closely monitored in heath facilities and all are responding positively to the treatment.

“Right now, what we’re seeing from the behavior of the virus is that most of the cases are mild and are self-limiting. The case fatality rate of H1N1, in fact is less than one percent. Dengue is even more fatal in the country where we now have 57 deaths as of april this year,” Duque said in press release at the DOH website.

Despite the rate of cases confirmation—14 cases in the span of eight days—Duque reiterated that classes will start next week.

“There is no indication there is already a sustained community transmission in the Philippines. And for this reason, we do not recommend that classes expected to open on June 1 be postponed,” Duque told gma.tv.

But as a precaution, health and education officials in Cebu yesterday urged students to practice a “no sharing policy” in schools.

Department of Education 7 Director Recaredo Borgonia said yesterday that during the opening of classes, students are prohibited from borrowing pencils, pens, crayons and other school supplies from their classmates.

Borgonia said that they will be instructing teachers in all schools to strictly implement the “no sharing policy” at all levels to prevent any community spread of the A (H1N1) virus.

THOUGH there are already positive cases of Influenza A(H1N1) in Cebu City, Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday said there is no need to declare a calamity yet.

Instead, he wanted an intensified information campaign, particularly the coming up with a television advertisement warning the public of its dangers.

Vice Mayor Michael Rama, for his part, asked private schools to likewise come up with guidelines on how to respond to swine flu to protect the students.

“We hope private schools will also do their part. I appeal to the owners and administrators of private schools to be conscious (of the situation),” he said.

The Cebu City Government has already summoned barangay officials and employees, particularly the barangay health workers, and briefed them about A(H1N1).

Last Tuesday, it also gathered all public school teachers of the city for an Influenza A(H1N1) briefing so they could inform the students how to protect themselves from contamination.

Rama also believes that a declaration of calamity is not yet needed as of the moment.

Yesterday, Councilor Gerardo Carillo said he spoke with the mayor and was told that the DOH has the matter under control.
What is even more dangerous, the mayor told Carillo, is dengue fever, which has a much higher mortality rate.

“The mayor wants a VTR that will teach kids proper hand washing,” Carillo said.

He said the mayor wanted the Bigfoot Entertainment, which has a movie studio at the South Road Properties, to come up with the TV, which the company also did for the city for its anti-dengue campaign.

Also, Carillo said the mayor was receptive to the plan to come up with a 911-like hotline to answer all concerns about the flu.

He said the mayor wanted the City’s Mobile Alarm Response System to be integrated into the program, as its facility is already in place.

Borgonia, meanwhile, has instructed schools to put up hand washing facilities, such as faucets and sinks, inside classrooms.

DOH 7 spokesperson Dr. Cora Lou Kintanar, in an interview with Sun.Star Cebu yesterday, said school children should be advised of the precautions, such as the regular washing of hands and the covering of mouth when sneezing or coughing.

Kintanar, along with other DOH 7 officials, were conducting an orientation yesterday with the Occupational Health Nurses Association of the Philippines on the prevention of a possible community spread of the A (H1N1) virus.

Kintanar said that in a worst-case scenario, stricter measures are to be done to prevent a possible community outbreak, particularly in schools.

There are still 27 cases under observation in Region 7.

Results of their swab tests will be released either today or on Sunday morning, Kintanar said.

Kintanar added the two A (H1N1) positive cases—a 1-year-old Filipino-American girl and the 13-year-old boy from Hong Kong—are now in a stable condition.

Kintanar said that the girl still has cough but no longer has fever, while the boy will be discharged soon.

She added that the DOH 7 has also given treatment to those who were close to the two positive cases. (JKV/RHM/(gma.tv)