DESPITE its massive public awareness campaign and basic preventive measures instituted, the Influenza A(H1N1) virus seems to be more resilient as it breaks into Misamis Occidental this week.
Governor Loreto Ocampos, in an email sent to this paper, calmed constituents, saying the A(H1N1) infection cases detected in the province is not as alarming.
The governor added that health authorities are already on the dot of monitoring the whole of Misamis Occidental, especially in schools and local communities where the said virus might contaminate.
“Walay angay kabalak-an ang katawhan kay dili tantong peligro ang AH1N1 basta madalian ug kung mo-cooperate ang katawhan sa kampanya karon sa provincial government, Provincial Health Office ug sa Misamis Occidental Schools Division aron dili mokatag kining sakita sa atong probinsya,” Ocampos said in his email message.
The email sent by the governor to this paper likewise disclosed that two of the 125 high school students from Barra Elementary School in Tudela who showed flu-like symptoms were found positive of A(H1N1), after the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine in Alabang, Muntinlupa confirmed the results of the swab tests sent.
Last week, health authorities became suspicious when 97 students from the said school were all at once absent during their Monday classes after complaining of fever.
The next day, another 28 students exhibited the same symptoms and were not in attendance. By Wednesday, the number rose to 182, this time, including 36 students from the nearby Tudela Central School and 21 more from Balon Elementary School.
Municipal health authorities surmised the flu-like symptoms felt by students in Balon were only associated with their lack of resistance since the barangay was classified as “moderately malnourished” and one of the “dirtiest” village in Tudela.
The tag came after a health team found that children living there have insufficient and unbalanced food diet and most households lack toilets, leaving people to use the backyard for human wastes.
Ocampos, sensing the highly contagious and serious condition that can affect Misamisnons, especially children, then called a meeting among all LGU executives, the provincial and rural health offices and the provincial schools division.
It was decided to suspend classes for a week starting July 27 on all private and public schools in Tudela, such as the Tudela National Comprehensive High School, Tudela Central School, and the elementary schools in Barra, Sibac, Cabol-anonan, Pan-ay Diot, Balon, Nailon, Basirang and Tigdok.
“Duna tay public information campaign. Manghatag kitag posters ug handbills sa mga balay, barangay ug information materials sa mga radio ug TV kung unsay buhaton aron makalikay ta ani ug unsay buhaton kung dunay sakop sa pamilya nga hilantan. Ikatag ni nato aron magiyahan ang mga tawo,” Ocampos assured.
Another step, he added, will be to give vitamins and supplements to the affected villages in Tudela to strengthen the immune system of residents.
The governor ordered the Misamis Occidental Provincial Hospital down to the Municipal Health Offices to stock vitamins A, C, D and E, seeing this as an urgent measure to prevent more A(H1N1) outbreak in the communities
“Among ipasabot sa katawhan nga dili angay mabalaka ug mohangyo mi nga mo-cooperate lang gyod sa atong kampanya,” he said.
“Unya kung naa man gani ma-apektohan, i-quarantine, dili pagawason sa balay aron dili matakdan ang uban. Unya dangop mo sa local government, sa atong mga hospital aron matambalan mo dayon,” Ocampos ended.
As of July 26, a total of 109 persons were positive of A(H1N1) out of the 196 persons who showed flu-like illness in the region, the DOH- Center for Health Development in Northern Mindanao said.
Of this number, 81 are from Cagayan de Oro City and mostly are students from the 11 schools earlier reported to have been affected by the dreaded swine-flu virus.
One school there—the Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School registered some 2,000 students who showed flu-like illness.
As this developed, health officials said they are monitoring Xavier University, Liceo de Cagayan University, Lourdes College, Corpus Christi, St. Mary’s Academy, International School, Balulang ES and Balulang NHS and Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori School for possible infections.
REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA
Governor Loreto Ocampos, in an email sent to this paper, calmed constituents, saying the A(H1N1) infection cases detected in the province is not as alarming.
The governor added that health authorities are already on the dot of monitoring the whole of Misamis Occidental, especially in schools and local communities where the said virus might contaminate.
“Walay angay kabalak-an ang katawhan kay dili tantong peligro ang AH1N1 basta madalian ug kung mo-cooperate ang katawhan sa kampanya karon sa provincial government, Provincial Health Office ug sa Misamis Occidental Schools Division aron dili mokatag kining sakita sa atong probinsya,” Ocampos said in his email message.
The email sent by the governor to this paper likewise disclosed that two of the 125 high school students from Barra Elementary School in Tudela who showed flu-like symptoms were found positive of A(H1N1), after the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine in Alabang, Muntinlupa confirmed the results of the swab tests sent.
Last week, health authorities became suspicious when 97 students from the said school were all at once absent during their Monday classes after complaining of fever.
The next day, another 28 students exhibited the same symptoms and were not in attendance. By Wednesday, the number rose to 182, this time, including 36 students from the nearby Tudela Central School and 21 more from Balon Elementary School.
Municipal health authorities surmised the flu-like symptoms felt by students in Balon were only associated with their lack of resistance since the barangay was classified as “moderately malnourished” and one of the “dirtiest” village in Tudela.
The tag came after a health team found that children living there have insufficient and unbalanced food diet and most households lack toilets, leaving people to use the backyard for human wastes.
Ocampos, sensing the highly contagious and serious condition that can affect Misamisnons, especially children, then called a meeting among all LGU executives, the provincial and rural health offices and the provincial schools division.
It was decided to suspend classes for a week starting July 27 on all private and public schools in Tudela, such as the Tudela National Comprehensive High School, Tudela Central School, and the elementary schools in Barra, Sibac, Cabol-anonan, Pan-ay Diot, Balon, Nailon, Basirang and Tigdok.
“Duna tay public information campaign. Manghatag kitag posters ug handbills sa mga balay, barangay ug information materials sa mga radio ug TV kung unsay buhaton aron makalikay ta ani ug unsay buhaton kung dunay sakop sa pamilya nga hilantan. Ikatag ni nato aron magiyahan ang mga tawo,” Ocampos assured.
Another step, he added, will be to give vitamins and supplements to the affected villages in Tudela to strengthen the immune system of residents.
The governor ordered the Misamis Occidental Provincial Hospital down to the Municipal Health Offices to stock vitamins A, C, D and E, seeing this as an urgent measure to prevent more A(H1N1) outbreak in the communities
“Among ipasabot sa katawhan nga dili angay mabalaka ug mohangyo mi nga mo-cooperate lang gyod sa atong kampanya,” he said.
“Unya kung naa man gani ma-apektohan, i-quarantine, dili pagawason sa balay aron dili matakdan ang uban. Unya dangop mo sa local government, sa atong mga hospital aron matambalan mo dayon,” Ocampos ended.
As of July 26, a total of 109 persons were positive of A(H1N1) out of the 196 persons who showed flu-like illness in the region, the DOH- Center for Health Development in Northern Mindanao said.
Of this number, 81 are from Cagayan de Oro City and mostly are students from the 11 schools earlier reported to have been affected by the dreaded swine-flu virus.
One school there—the Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School registered some 2,000 students who showed flu-like illness.
As this developed, health officials said they are monitoring Xavier University, Liceo de Cagayan University, Lourdes College, Corpus Christi, St. Mary’s Academy, International School, Balulang ES and Balulang NHS and Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori School for possible infections.
REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA