First suspected H1N1 case in Bacolod
BACOLOD CITY – An Indian national who just arrived from Hong Kong is currently under observation at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) here for possible Influenza A(H1N1) infection.
This was confirmed by Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson yesterday. The Indian national is the first case of suspected A(H1N1) flu patient here.
Department of Health (DOH) has already recorded 12 cases under observation (COU) in Western Visayas.
Sayson said they are closely coordinating with Dr. Salome Biñas, Bacolod City Health Officer and Bacolod Swine Flu Task Force vice-chairperson, as regards the status of the patient.
There is no confirmation yet that the patient is positive of the A(H1N1) virus since the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Manila has yet to release the result of the test conducted on the specimen taken from the Indian national.
The Indian national whose name was withheld arrived in Bacolod City four days ago but had no fever.
The patient experienced fever only last Monday where he was first brought to a private hospital.
However, emergency room personnel found the patient fit into the criteria of a possible A(H1N1) case so they sent him to the CLMMRH.
Even Governor Isidro Zayco confirmed the situation and he has ordered Dr. Luisa Efren, Provincial Health Officer, to ensure close monitoring of the case.
As a precautionary measure, Efren said her office began tracking down the people with whom the Indian national came in contact with since he arrived to make sure they go into self quarantine.
Earlier, the Department of Health (DOH) advised travelers arriving from A(H1NI)-affected countries to undergo self quarantine for 5 to 10 days.
Meanwhile, DOH in Western Visayas warned the public to avoid unnecessary crowd contact in these times when H1N1 cases are rising. It said preventive measures should be undertaken in order to avoid acquiring said virus. Foremost of which is the avoidance of crowded places and large gatherings.
Regional Epidemiologist Dr. Jessie Glen Alonsabe said that a lot of diseases or viruses could be easily acquired in crowded areas including the A (H1N1) virus.
Alonsabe added that the usual symptoms of the virus to infected persons who have traveled to other countries were that of having a fever, sore throat and cough.
However, he said that there are cases wherein the patient has no manifestation of the symptoms for several few days putting at risk the greater possibility of transmission to other people.
Transmission may either be regular person-to-person transmission, primarily through contact with respiratory droplets and transmission from objects (fomites), (sneezing, coughing and physical touch) according to Alonsabe.