RP starts tracing 50 people who went near flu-stricken Taiwanese mom, kid

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Health Department (DOH) has started contact tracing of about 50 people who went near a Taiwanese woman and her child who stayed in the Philippines for five days and had been tested positive for the dreaded Influenza A(H1N1) infection. Contract tracing refers to the identification and diagnosis of individuals who may have come into contact with a person infected with a disease. The 30-year-old Taiwanese and her five-year-old daughter did not join a yoga conference in Manila as earlier reported by Taiwan health officials, but went to a wedding in Zambales province where about 50 people attended the ceremony, according to dzBB quoting a report from the Health Secretary Francisco Duque III. The report also said the DOH already had a copy of the flight manifest of the airline where the Taiwanese and her child were boarded when they arrived in Manila this month. Duque said the DOH received reports from the Taiwan Center for Disease Control that the daughter was already recovering, while her mother had completely recovered. The DOH secretary said that it could possible that the two brought the virus from Taiwan. “Since may H1N1 sa Taiwan , it’s more likely that she brought it from Taiwan and then during the incubation period andito siya sa Pilipinas and then nag-manifest yung symptoms nung nakabalik na siya doon," Duque said. [Since there is already H1N1 in Taiwan, it's more likely that (they) brought it from Taiwan and then during the incubation they were here in the Philippines and the symptoms manifested when they went back to Taiwan] There are already six confirmed cases of Indluenza A(H1N1) infection in Taiwan . Duque said the "timeline" when the two Taiwanese were in the country was well within the seven to 10-day incubation period for the virus. The mother and her daughter reportedly arrived in Manila last May 15 (Friday) and left the country last Wednesday (May 20). They manifested symptoms on Thursday (May 21). - GMANews.TV