Boy, 11 months, monitored for flu

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Health (DOH) is now observing at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine an 11-month-old Filipino from Japan who has manifested flu-like symptoms.

The DOH is also closely coordinating with the Department of Education (DepEd) on measures to educate students on Influenza A(H1N1) when classes open next month.

Since May 1, the DOH had registered a total of 62 international travelers, including the infant, who have been observed for possible A(H1N1) virus infection.

“The threat of influenza is getting nearer our country. In the Western Pacific region where the Philippines is located, there are already six countries affected. These are Malaysia, China, Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand,” the DOH said.

Because of this, the agency claimed that it must remain “vigilant in its guard against the possible entry of A(H1N1) to the country.”

“Thus, the DOH reiterates that all incoming passengers from countries with confirmed Influenza A(H1N1) should closely monitor their health status for 10 days from arrival,” the DOH added.

And should they develop symptoms, the DOH advised passengers to consult doctors early for prompt testing for the virus and for immediate administration of proper medical management.

Meantime, Dr. Lyndon Leesuy, DOH program manager for National Dengue and Emerging Infectious Diseases, yesterday shared the health department’s plan to educate students on A(H1N1).

“This issue (broke out) during summer so we need to educate the students. For sure, they heard so much about A(H1N1). We have to explain this to them,” Leesuy said.

The DOH is willing to dispatch its disease experts to educate DepEd trainors about the virus that has already affected 39 countries.

The number of confirmed cases had reached 8,480, including 72 deaths.

“We can educate trainors who can be health or science teachers. These trainors can pass on what they learn to other educators,” Leesuy.

He underscored the need to teach the students to eat healthy food, take vitamins, observe personal hygiene and cough etiquette, among others.

“It’s good to start them young. We don’t have A(H1N1) but we have to prepare for a possible pandemic. We cannot be complacent about this,” he told The STAR.

Postponement of classes possible

Education Undersecretary Vilma Labrador told a news briefing at the Palace that the DepEd is ready to postpone the opening of classes on June 1 in case there will be an outbreak of the deadly virus in the country.

Labrador said the DepEd is closely watching developments in Japan where some schools were closed due to the virus.

She said various government agencies, including the DepEd and the DOH, and local officials met recently to prepare for the school opening.

“We have contingency measures and we told our teachers that when the child enters the classroom, they should touch the child and check if she or he has fever so they would be the first to report if the child is not feeling well,” Labrador said.

She said while feeling the child’s forehead is not totally accurate in checking for fever, “this is the initial way of knowing and there are medical teams on standby that can give help and report such incidents.”

 “Our government hospitals are ready for such situations,” Labrador said.

She said teachers were directed to teach their students and their parents on the need for proper hand washing and hygiene.

In a related development, the World Health Organization’s annual assembly opened in Geneva yesterday.

WHO director general Margaret Chan, who has the power to declare a pandemic after she consults a panel of scientists, met Mexico’s health minister Jose Angel Cordova in Geneva just before the assembly opened.

At his meeting with Chan, Cordova symbolically handed over the scientific details of the A(H1N1) virus that will allow development of a vaccine. - With Paolo Romero