THE Department of Health has vowed to intensify mitigation efforts against influenza A (H1N1) virus in light of the anticipated rise in the number of cases across the country.

"Before, the DOH's guideline was to approach and then contain. But now the virus is widespread, the guideline has moved to mitigation," Task Force A (H1N1) Rapid Action Team member Dr. Tomas Miguel Ababon said in Wednesday's I-Speak forum.

For updates from around the country, follow Sun.Star on Twitter

He said that at present, the task force focuses on instituting effective mitigation measures to save lives and prevent deaths as more cases are being anticipated in the coming months.

"The disease is already in Mindanao. Nandito na ang virus sa ating city," said Ababon.

Assistant city health officer Dr. Samuel Cruz said the DOH's instruction is to advise the people to be socially responsible.

"The DOH urged the people to be responsible. Kung alam mong may sintomas ka, mag-self-quarantine ka," said Cruz.

Ababon said the Task Force has no clear statistics of possible virus carriers in the city.

"We have no idea kung ilan na ang may symptoms and how many have been in contact with them," he said.

"We need the cooperation of the public. The public can prevent it. The government cannot do everything," said Cruz, for his part, said.

Ababon said their latest finding of the virus showed 91 percent of the A (H1N1) cases within the age bracket of one to 81 years old showed mild symptoms. "Dili na siya kahadlukan," said Ababon.

But Cruz said the people who have serious illnesses should guard themselves from the virus.

"The certain groups of individuals who must not be contaminated are the diabetics, asthmatics, those with kidney diseases, cardiac diseases, cancer. Yan sila ang individuals at high risk," said Cruz.

Ababon said the Information Education Committee of the Task Force continues to inform citizens at the grassroots level. "Since the start of the spread of the virus, since the second week of May, at grassroots level, nasultian na ang barangay (about the disease)," said Ababon.

Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque convened on June 30 another DOH Command Conference attended by members of the A (H1N1) Task Force, the DOH regional health directors, the chiefs of hospitals of all the 72 DOH-retained hospitals in the country, and some representatives from the private sector.

With the shift toward the mitigation strategy, the DOH is ensuring that all government hospitals, both at the national and local government levels, have the capacity to administer care to high-risk patients where the severe manifestations of the A (H1N1) virus are frequently seen.

This is in accordance with the directives of President Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo last week to prepare well-equipped isolation wards in all state-run hospitals throughout the country.

High-risk patients include patients with preexisting medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, immunosuppression, HIV/Aids, TB, pregnant women, very young children, and the elderly.

Duque also called for a meeting with the member agencies of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) to engage them, particularly the DILG, in strengthening the involvement of local government units in the A (H1N1) response.

This is to make sure that local governments have surveillance, monitoring, and response systems in place and that hospitals and other primary health care facilities under their jurisdiction are able to identify, treat, and manage A (H1N1) cases.

Meanwhile, Duque announced that 1,709 confirmed A (H1N1) cases have been reported to the DOH from the 1st week of May up to June 27, 2009. Eighty-six percent (86%) or 1,485 of these cases have already recovered, while the remaining 224 (or 14%) are still under treatment at present, most of them under home management.

"All cases exhibited mild symptoms with the most common as fever (86%), cough (81%), and nasal congestion (49%)," Duque said, noting, however, that there was one reported death.