“So far so good,” the President commented on how government is responding to the viral threat that has affected leading economies during an interview in Cebu.

Citing the country’s experience with SARs and how authorities worked hard to keep the Philippines free from the Avian Flu, the President is confident that government will be able to deal with H1N1.

“We’re the only one who did not have bird flu. So we hope to be, among the ones that don’t have the swine flu,” said the President, “Ang Importante ay surveillance (what is important is surveillance).”

The President added that the DOH and other agencies are making sure that thermal screening is done in all points of entry and quarantine protocols are observed on travelers who came from affected areas and those who are demonstrating fever and other signs of sickness.

On its 8th update yesterday, the Department of Health reported that the country remains free from Influenza A/H1N1 virus.

DOH also said the number of cases under observation (CUOs) have risen to 38 but 37 have tested negative of the novel virus.

Thirty-five of the cases have been discharged and only one remained in quarantine pending laboratory results as of yesterday.

Twenty-eight of the CUOs were observed at DOH designated referral hospitals. Twenty-one were admitted at Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), 3 at San Lazaro Hospital (SLH) and 4 at the Vicente Sotto Medical Center (VSMC).

Ages ranged from 1 year to 80 years old.

More than half of the cases were aged between 8 to 40 years old with 61 percent (23) of them were males.

Most CUOs came from Influenza A H1N1 affected countries: USA, Korea, Italy, Canada, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Mexico, Ireland, United Kingdom and Spain.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that the number of confirmed Influenza A (H1N1) cases increased from 4,379 in May 9 to 4,694 in May 10.

Aside from Mexico (48) and the US (3), Canada (1) and Costa Rica (1) have started reporting deaths from this novel virus.

The total number of deaths is now 49. Currently, the US has the highest number of cases (2,532). However, fatality in the US remains low (0.12%) as compared to Mexico (2.95%).

Thirty countries have already reported confirmed Influenza A (H1N1).

These countries include: Australia, Austria, Argentina, Brazil Canada, Hong Kong, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, El Salvador, France, Germany, Guatemala, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the USA. (PIA-Pagadian)

Last update: 16-05-2009 23:41