Schools open despite steady climb of A(H1N1) cases

MANILA, Philippines - The number of people with influenza A(H1N1) virus in the country has climbed to 147 following the government’s confirmation of 36 new cases on Sunday. Reports of the National Epidemiology Center (NEC), an attached agency of the Department of Health (DOH), said three of the 36 new cases were foreigners. Health Secretary Francisco Duque said they are shifting to a policy of mitigation in response to the decision of the World Health Organization to declare a global A(H1N1) pandemic. “A policy of mitigation means that the DOH will shift focus in preparing households and health facilities to respond to the challenge posed by A(H1N1) in anticipation of more confirmed cases," Duque said in a press briefing on Saturday. With symptoms mild and no fatalities, swine flu in the Philippines will be treated like other influenzas -- home care and self-quarantine. The main danger, according to Duque, is if the virus mutates into a more lethal strain. Despite the continuous rise in the number of A(H1N1) cases in the country, the Commission on Education (CHED) said it would push through with the opening of classes in the tertiary level on Monday. “Di tayo kailangan mag-panic. We are taking all precautions. Kaya umpisa na ang klase, di natin pwedeng i-postpone [We do not need to panic. We are taking all precautions, and we cannot afford to postpone classes anymore]," said CHED chairman Emmanuel Angeles. Duque said the mitigation approach also outlines key management imperatives in the areas of activating the command system, surveillance, health facility response, public health interventions and risk communication strategies. “I want to make it clear that mitigation will be done in phases and that it will not be applied across the nation completely and instantaneously," he said. - GMANews.TV