Asia's first A(H1N1)-related death is 49-year-old Filipina

(Updated 11 p.m.) A 49-year-old Filipino woman infected with Influenza A(H1N1) has died, the first fatality related to the new flu strain in the Philippines and Asia, a health official said Monday. Her death, officially from heart failure, has prompted health officials to give the most attention to sickly people who were hit by the flu. In a press conference in Malacañang, Dr. Yolanda Oliveros, director for the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control of the Department of Health, said the woman died of "congestive heart failure secondary to acute myocardial infarction" on June 19. According to the patient's family, the woman developed flu-like symptoms on June 17 but still went to work that day, radio dzBB reported. She was reported to have become "restless" two days later, which prompted her family to call for medical help, but she died at home before the doctor came, according to the report. In a separate news conference at the DOH, Secretary Francisco Duque III said the woman had a "pre-existing heart disease" that worsened her infection. She also had a liver disease, Oliveros said. A mouth swab was taken from the patient when she was already dead, which confirmed that she had been infected by the A(H1N1) virus, Duque said. "A(H1N1) is not the cause of death, but the virus could have exacerbated the situation," Duque said. According to the World Health Organization, most cases of severe and fatal infections of A(H1N1) have been in adults between the ages of 30 and 50 years. Many of them had "underlying chronic conditions" such as diabetes, asthma, cardiovascular diseases, and obesity, WHO director-general Dr. Margaret Chan reported. High risk groups given more attention Following the first fatality in the country, Duque said that the DOH would be more aggressive in assuring that healthcare professionals give the most attention to those hit by the flu who have underlying chronic conditions. “We want to make it clear that high-risk groups, once they have the flu symptoms, should immediately go to their doctor. They should not wait for their symptoms to worsen because they are prone to many infections other than the novel virus such as our seasonal flu strains. “These are patients with uncontrolled diabetes, frank cardiovascular disease, COPD, organ transplant recipients, those who are immunocompromised, those with chronic liver and kidney disease, people suffering from other infections like HIV/AIDs and TB, pregnant women and the very young and the elderly," Duque said. The Health Secretary said his department is now revising the interim guidelines for managing and treating A (H1N1) cases to ensure that those who are more vulnerable to the disease are prioritized. The latest tally of A(H1N1) cases in the DOH stands at 445, but 84 per cent of the cases have recovered, Duque said. The 445 includes the 17 new cases--15 Filipinos and two foreigners--that were confirmed Monday. Worldwide, the latest WHO update has counted 44,287 cases, with 180 deaths, most of them in the United States and Mexico. A(H1N1) shutters more schools Eight more schools have suspended their classes after some of their students were confirmed to have contracted the Influenza A(H1N1) virus. The University of Santo Tomas, Adamson University, St. Scholastica’s College (SSC), Mapua Institute of Technology (Intramuros campus), La Salle Green Hills, Karangalan Elementary School (Cainta, Rizal), Don Bosco Technical College (Mandaluyong) and the Elementary School 2 in Sta. Rosa Laguna are the latest addition to schools that have suspended their classes due to the flu virus. The campuses of UST, Adamson, SSC, DBTC and Mapua are all in Metro Manila. In a statement on Monday, UST said that “only the St. Martin de Porres Building, occupied by the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, the College of Nursing and the College of Rehabilitation Sciences, will be closed until June 29 due to one confirmed case of A(H1N1)." It also said that while awaiting the result of the A(H1N1) test on another student, it would suspend classes in Roque Roaño building on June 23, Tuesday. All other colleges, faculties, institutes, and departments would have regular classes, read the statement signed by UST Secretary General Fr. Isidro Abaño, OP. The university likewise assured that it is exhausting all measures to prevent the spread of the virus. “We enjoin all members of the Thomasian community to strictly adhere to the guidelines released by the DOH and the UST Task Force for A(H1N1) as circulated by the Office of the Secretary General," it added. In an interview on dzBB radio, Raul Agner of Adamson’s Institutional Development and External Affairs Office (IDEA) said that classes had been suspended since June 20 and “will resume on June 25." Agner said the college student who tested positive for the virus “is on his way to recovery." In a separate radio interview, DBTC Rector Fr. Martin Macasaet said they suspended their classes noontime Monday after they received the confirmation that one of their students is infected with A(H1N1). Macasaet said their suspension covers all levels of classes from elementary and college. Their classes will resume on July 2. Meanwhile, SSC safety and security officer Vivian Manila also told dzBB that classes in all levels are called of “from June 22 to June 30’ after one elementary student tested positive for the disease. The grade school student, Manila said, was a sibling of one of the College of Saint Benilde (CSB) students earlier infected by the virus. For her part, Mapua registrar Rodelia Damian said one student tested positive for the disease, prompting the suspension of the classes. “Classes will resume on June 30," she told dzBB. Also on Monday, a GMA Flash Report quoted Dr. Gerardo Bayugo, the Health Department’s Region 4 -A director, as saying that classes in Elementary School 2 in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, were suspended after six students tested positive for the swine flu. QTV’s Balitanghali reported that the Karangalan Elementary School in Cainta town in Rizal province likewise called off its classes following the confirmation that two Grade 6 students tested positive for the virus. The report added that the Cainta Municipal Health Office is monitoring 43 cases who displayed symptoms of flu-like illnesses. All 43 suspected cases are also from the Karingal Elementary School. - With reports from Mark Merueñas and Jam Sisante, GMANews.TV