A. SEE, S. DEDACE and M. MERUEÑAS, GMANews.TV
06/01/2009 | 11:03 PM
UP CLOSE. A microscopic image of the A(H1N1) virus, which has so far affected 15,000 people in 53 countries and killed nearly 100 others. APMANILA, Philippines – The number of people infected with the A(H1N1) virus in the Philippines climbed to 21 on Monday, as 29 others, all students, are being monitored by health and school officials in Nueva Ecija province.
A report aired on QTV's "News on Q" said the students came in close contact with a 19-year old female who just came from the United States with flu-like symptoms.
The report said upon the woman's arrival in the country, she visited a hospital before proceeding to Nueva Ecija to visit a relative's wake. She is now confined in an undisclosed medical facility in Metro Manila for more examinations.
Health officials in the province, meanwhile, advised school officials not to panic as they await the result of the students' laboratory results.
In a press conference earlier Monday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said two of the newest confirmed cases contracted the disease after attending the wedding in Zambales where an infected Taiwanese mother and daughter were present.
The remaining three new confirmed cases were Filipinos who had come from the United States: a 19-year-old male, a 45-year-old male, and a 39-year-old female.
The Health department said it had recorded a total of 315 cases under observation. At least 262 patients in these cases had been cleared already and discharged while 32 others remain quarantined pending laboratory results.
Duque said the newest infected people remain confined in undisclosed medical facilities in the country.
Duque made the announcement in the wake of heightened measures against the disease due to the opening of classes.
Earlier in the day, he joined Education Secretary Jesli Lapus in making the rounds in a number of schools to remind students to strictly observe precautionary measures like the washing of hands.
Alert System
The DOH and DepEd have also jointly installed a new alert system against the novel virus in time for the opening of classes.
The two government agencies said they hope the alert system would serve as a guideline on when schools can send students home in case the virus reaches their respective vicinities.
Like in regular Storm Signal warnings, the A(H1N1) alert levels start from Level 1 and peak at Level 4. When a Level 3 is declared in a specific school, the school superintendent is given the authority to suspend classes.
When the alert level goes up further by a notch to Level 4, the situation is elevated to the regional DepEd office and only a regional director is given the power to send students home.
Off to good start
Early on, Lapus announced that classes went off to a good start. Still, he urged parents and guardians to call the DepEd's "Oplan Balik Eskwela" command center not only for A(H1N1)-related concerns but also for other school opening queries. (See: 1st day of school starts well; teachers watch for A(H1N1))
By calling up 636-1663 and text 0919-4560027, the DepEd can deploy quick response teams that are on call from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Since the start of classes, the Education department has so far received 352 phone complaints, most of which were about the collection of school fees. (See: Questions on fees clog DepEd school hotlines)
In a separate report, Lapus reiterated that collection of any fees is prohibited.
"Dapat walang bayaran sa public school ... Mula prep hanggang Grade 4 sa buong school year dapat walang bayaran [There are no fees to be paid in public schools. From prep to Grade 4 there are absolutely no fees]," he said in an interview on dzXL radio.
More that 22.4 million students would be returning to some 44,600 public and private schools this school year.
To secure the students, the Philippine National Police has ordered around 11,000 policemen to be on duty at any given time. Over the weekend, the PNP also placed some 125,000 lawmen on full deployment. - GMANews.TV
From GMANews.tv; see the source article here.
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