NAGA CITY --- Everyone here heaved a sigh of relief after the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) based in Alabang, Muntinlupa City informed Naga City Mayor Jesse M. Robredo and City Health Officer Vito 'Butch' Borja Tuesday night that the medical examination and laboratory test conducted on the 4-year old child suspected to have acquired the dreaded Influenza A(HiN1) proved negative.
Robredo said Health Secretary Francisco Duque called him Tuesday night to break the news that the findings of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) showed the 4-year old girl has been inflicted with ordinary flu.
He said the announcement is already official as it was relayed by Duque.
Last Monday, this city hogged the day's headlines when the Department of Health in Bicol issued heightened alert after a four-year old child who arrived here with her parents from San Diego, California soon showed flu-like symptoms.
The United States is confirmed to have the highest number of A(HiNi), or swine flu, cases.
City officials led by Vice Mayor Gabriel H. Bordado and Dr. Borja, respectively, promptly called to step up the monitoring of possible A(H1N1) cases even as they immediately sent the young patient to the RITM for further examination.
Dr. Nestor Santiago, regional director for Center for Health and Development of the Department of Health in Bicol reported that the child and her parents underwent the required thermal scanner upon arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and no symptom of illness was detected from the incoming visitors.
Borja said the young patient was handled by two physicians in the city who volunteered to quarantine themselves in their homes as a precautionary measure. The child's parents were also quarantined with her at a private hospital here before they traveled back to RITM in Muntinlupa for the medical examinations.
As early as Tuesday afternoon Mayor Robredo was reported to have urged the RITM and DOH doctors in Manila to release to results of the medical examination immediately to assuage fears among the residents.
A few hours later, the official result was released through the DOH regional office, Vice Mayor Bordado and City Health Officer Borja and was broadcast the following morning to assure the residents that the patient did not have symptoms of the scary virus.
The little girl and her parents upon their arrival here on a connecting flight from Manila reportedly stayed in a relative's house in a subdivision in Bgy. San Felipe here to attend a wedding.
The Department of Health in Manila said Tuesday that the girl was the last of a total of 38 people monitored by health authorities for possible swine flu since May 1. All have now been cleared.
Meanwhile, Regional Health Director Nestor Santiago Jr. said yesterday said that they are in constant contact with city government officials to discuss public health intervention measures, including the medical treatment and imposition of obligatory quarantine on individuals suspected to have acquired the A(H1N1) virus.
He expressed appreciation over the quick response and precautionary measures displayed by the city officials, the local physicians who attended to the girl, and the members of the local media who helped assuage fear and panic among the residents.
Vice-Mayor Gabriel H. Bordado disclosed that under the citywide contingency plan, compulsory quarantine will be enforced by the Naga City PNP and/or by the Philippine Army personnel to ensure absolute compliance.
Borja explained that if the screening had yielded positive results, it would remain unofficial until a confirmatory finding/advice is released by an Australia-based health agency where a thorough re-evaluation of the results will be conducted.
Dr. Aurora Daluro, DOH regional office head of Epidemiology Unit said swine flu symptoms are similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal flu like fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Other reported symptoms are runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
She said A(H1N1) virus is among the four Influenza type A viruses isolated in pigs that may also occur in persons with direct exposure or close proximity to the animal. Human to human transmission of the virus can happen by coughing or sneezing.
For its part, the city government of Naga thru the Sangguniang Panlungsod had appropriated an initial standby fund amounting to P500,000 for the implementation of the A(H1N1) contingency plan. (www.naga.gov.ph)