Outbreak in Eastern Visayas?

published July 15, 2009 in BusinessWorld

TACLOBAN CITY — Confirmed influenza A(H1N1) cases in Eastern Visayas have risen to 103 as of Tuesday with majority of the patients reported in schools, the Department of Health (DoH) said.

DoH regional epidemiologist Nicholas Bautista raised the possibility of a community outbreak with at least 242 persons placed under observation. Students accounted for 80% of suspected cases.

"There’s a cause for alarm since this flu hit 50% to 60% of children in one classroom. We fear that it will go to the community and be transmitted to high risk group," Mr. Bautista said.

In this city and in nearby Palo town, confirmed cases were reported in Cirilo Roy Montejo National High School, Rizal Elementary School, Leyte Normal University, STEFTI, Sacred Heart Seminary, Sto. Niño SPED Center, Bethel International School, Kapangian Elementary School, St. Therese Child Development Center, Sacred Heart Seminary and Saint Scholastica’s School.

The region’s biggest secondary school, Leyte National High School, with a student population of over 6,000 has confirmed cases.

"Classes were suspended in some sections to prevent the spread of the virus," Mr. Bautista said.

Only the schools from Leyte and Eastern Samar have so far been giving reports of suspected cases. "The community is still silent. There might be positive cases but it’s not reported to us," he added.

Mr. Bautista said the DoH will hold a summit today to raise awareness on the virus among city school, local government and Commission on Higher Education officials.

A World Health Organization report has projected that the virus could infect up to 1.17 million people in the region, representing a third of the population.

Private hospitals have been tapped to treat patients. The congested Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center, which is the only referral hospital in the region, has only three beds for confirmed cases and seven beds for cases under observation.-Sarwell Q. Meniano