DOH alert stronger A (H1N1)

[Treyfish]

(Philippine Star) Updated August 25, 2009 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - preparing the Department of Health the possibility of the second wave and more powerful type of influenza A (H1N1) virus that enters the country.
Said Health Sec-retary Francisco Duque III-delika more likely to do and he got second wave of such virus than previously.
Therefore, they advised the health workers to immediately report the naitatalang multiple cases of influenza-like illness.
Now according to Duque, wala pa namang signal that change the type A (H1N1) virus in the country and become more dangerous.

Furthermore, nagpamahagi also the DOH of the information, education and communication materials to the provincial health workers and town where it stated the instructions how maawat or any mapapabagal the spread of the virus.
Added more of Du-que also open to the DOH to plan the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines to activate the weekly reports released related to the case of A (H1N1).
Now they are following the first re-komendasyon World Health Organization and is currently more aggressive mapigilang the DOH to enter the virus in areas under cases of the virushttp://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx...bCategoryId=92

[Rwilmer]

Re: DOH alert stronger A (H1N1)

DOH intensifies guard vs 2nd wave of A(H1N1) virus
08/24/2009 | 12:59 PM

| | More Health authorities have intensified their campaign against the possible entry into the country of a second wave of the A(H1N1) virus, keeping tabs on how other countries handle the infections.

This came after the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning Monday, urging people around the world to be aware of the second wave of the influenza virus infections.

In a radio interview Monday, Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III said the second wave of infections might be more dangerous than the first.

"Ito ang kinakatakutan natin. Tulad ng maraming klase ng influenza virus, pwede itong mag-mutate. Hindi natin masasabi kung kailan ito magiging mas mabangis o mas deadly. ?Yan ang dahilan kung bakit sinusundan natin ang pinupuntahan ng virus na ito at inaaral natin ang epekto nito sa bawa?t bansa, tao, at komunidad sa mundo, Duque said in an interview on dwIZ radio.

(This is what we are afraid of, that like any influenza virus, the AH1N1 can mutate. We cannot say when it will become more dangerous or even deadly. That is why we are observing developments on A(H1N1) in other countries.)

Even in the Philippines, he said, health workers have been advised to report multiple cases of influenza-like illness.

Duque said that for now, there is no sign of the A(H1N1) virus mutating into a deadlier second wave in the Philippines.

?Sa ngayon, walang ebidensya na masasabi nating nagmu-mutate nga ang virus. Stable so far, yung dati pa rin (As of now there is no evidence showing the virus has mutated in the Philippines. The situation remains stable at least for now)," he said.

Expanded report

In a separate interview on dzXL radio, Duque said his department has distributed information, education and communication (IEC) materials to provincial and town health workers.

The materials provide instructions on how to slow the spread of the virus.

Duque also said the DOH is open to a suggestion by the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines to revive weekly reports on A(H1N1), but hinted this may be expanded.

?Ang ginagawa natin batay sa WHO recommendation, ang gusto nila 'di lang AH1N1 ang ire-report kundi buong surveillance system para sa influenza virus... Sangkatutak ang klase ng influenza virus (We will follow the recommendation of the World Health Organization to report not just AH1N1 cases, but also other influenza viruses. There are many variants of the influenza virus)," he said.

On the other hand, Duque said the Department of Health (DOH) will be more aggressive in preventing the entry of A(H1N1) in areas where there are no cases yet.

In areas where there are already infection cases, he said authorities will suspend classes in particular classrooms where ILI (influenza-like illness) symptoms have been observed.

But he said that for now, the first wave of A(H1N1) has been manageable so far.

The DOH stopped giving daily updates on A(H1N1) infections on July 29. At this time, six people with A(H1N1) infections had died.

On August 18, the DOH announced that a vaccine against A(H1N1) would be made available to Filipinos by October.

Meanwhile, WHO Director General Margaret Chan warned that second and third waves had appeared in previous pandemics.

"We cannot say for certain whether the worst is over or the worst is yet to come. We need to be prepared for whatever surprises this capricious new virus delivers next " Chan said in a videotaped address to a symposium on flu in the Asia-Pacific region.

It is estimated that 250,000 to 500,0000 people die around the world every year from seasonal flu.

However, a total of 1,799 people have died since the new virus was uncovered in Mexico six months ago, according to the UN health agency. - GMANews.TV

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/170552/d...of-ah1n1-virus