The Philippines has had 62 people quarantined for influenza A (H1N1) since May 1, 2009, and 61 of them were found negative of the H1N1 virus, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Monday. One case is still pending.

The subject of the pending case is a child who arrived from Japan without any symptoms of fever detected by the thermal scanner in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Director Eric Tayag of the Department of Health National Epidemiology Center (DOH-NEC) said the child, who has had fever for three days, is still under observation at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).

According to Tayag, the child was placed in a “special room" where a swab sample was taken from his throat. He said that they will know whether the child has H1N1 in a day or two.

In a statement made by DOH, A(H1N1) the 62 cases in the Philippines had history of travel from countries with confirmed cases of the flu virus: Australia, Canada, China (Mainland), HongKong, SAR, Ireland, Italy Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the US.

The DOH reiterated that all incoming passengers from countries with confirmed cases of A(H1N1) should closely monitor their health for 10 days from arrival should they develop any flu-like symptoms.

The virus is getting near the Philippines as neighboring countries like Malaysia, China, Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand already have confirmed human cases.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), there are 2,895 confirmed human cases of A(H1N1) in Mexico, including 66 deaths. In the US, there are four deaths in the 4,714 confirmed human cases. Canada reported 496 A(H1N1) cases with one death. Costa Rica also reported one death in the nine confirmed laboratory human cases. 

WHO recommended that individuals who are ill should delay travel plans. Returning travelers who fall ill should seek appropriate medical attention to limit the spread of communicable diseases, including influenza. But, WHO is not recommending travel restrictions related to the outbreak of the A(H1N1) virus.