DOH clears 19 of 23 suspected A(H1N1) cases

 MANILA, Philippines - Nineteen of the 23 Philippine cases monitored for the influenza A (H1N1) virus have already been cleared of possible infection while four are still under observation, the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday. “Nineteen of these CUOs [cases under observation] have already tested negative for influenza A(H1N1) virus, and have been discharged, while the remaining four are still under observation with pending laboratory results," the DOH said in a statement. The DOH, however, did not indicate the nationalities of the four people still being monitored. It only said that of the 23 monitored people – whose ages ranged from two to 80 years old – eleven were Filipinos. The department also noted that the 23 cases were observed at various hospitals like the San Lazaro Hospital, the Vicente Sotto Medical Center, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, and other health centers. Since May 1, the DOH had received reports of possible viral infection from the United States (7), South Korea (3), Italy (3), Canada (2), China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1), Japan (2), Ireland (1), Mexico (1), Switzerland (1), and the United Kingdom (2). There were no reported deaths. On May 10 [May 11, Manila time], the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the number of confirmed human cases infected with the dreaded A(H1N1) virus rose from 3,440 to 4,379 – a 27 percent increase. The United States currently has the highest number of reported cases at 2,254. The death toll likewise reached 49 – 45 in Mexico, two in the United States, one in Canada, and one in Costa Rica. An Associated Press report, however, said that the global death toll was already 53, with 48 deaths in Mexico, three in the United States, one in Canada, and another in Costa Rica. Aside from Mexico, the US, Canada, and Costa Rica, other countries with confirmed A(H1N1) flu cases are: Japan, United Kingdom, Italy, New Zealand, Panama, Spain, Brazil, El Salvador, France, Germany, Israel, Netherlands, South Korea, Argentina, Australia, Austria, China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Colombia, Denmark, Guatemala, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland. - Katrina Elaine Alba, GMANews.TV