Sarangani prepared vs. Influenza A(H1N1)

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (July 15, 2009) – Sarangani provincial health officer Dr. Antonio Yasaña has confirmed one case of A(H1N1) in Malapatan town and reported that the patient has fully recovered.

Dr. Yasaña, who was attending a meeting of health officials here Tuesday (July 14), disclosed that it was a “case under observation”since the 38-year old female has a history of travel from Taiwan.

She arrived in the Philippines and in her home at Purok 7, Poblacion,Malapatan in Sarangani on June 15. After five days, she showed manifestation of Infuenza A(H1N1) with body pains and coughing. She was treated and examined with throat swab, Dr. Yasaña said.

By thetime the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine result from Manila arrived Monday (July 13), the patient has already fully recovered.Dr. Yasaña said after immediate field visit, interview and gathering of data, the patient’s 16 “direct contacts” did not manifest flu-like symptoms.

Dr. Yasaña said the provincial and municipal health offices were prepared against Influenza A(H1N1). He added the provincial health office has Tamifu drugs which are the recommended drugs to treat and or prevent infection with Influenza A(H1N1) virus.

“Giving the right information to the public is always the best thing to do to avoid panic,” Dr. Yasaña said.“We have all the mitigating guidelines provided to us by the Department of Health (DOH). All we have to do is to minimize misinformation from the community,” Dr. Yasaña said.

A random survey of 200 persons in Purok 7 did not manifest flu-like symptoms, Dr. Yasaña said.Malapatan municipal health officer Dr. Diomedes Remitar said his office was stepping up its information-education campaign on A(H1N1)for the community.

Mitigation plans in strengthening the local government’s capability todeal with A(H1N1) threats were in place Dr. Yasaña said.

At Malapatan’s emergency meeting Monday (July 13), local officials,health officers and the municipal disaster coordinating council agreed to conduct massive information campaign on A(H1N1) for schools,teachers and barangay officials to disseminate the correct informationand mitigating measures for the community.

The Department of Health has provided technical guidelines to effectthe continuum of approach from containment to mitigation strategies in the control of Influenza A(H1N1) virus.In the guidelines, Malapatan’s case is in mitigation response level one described as “a few sporadic case with no community transmission”.(Russtum G. Pelima/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)