(UPDATE 3) Woman, child from RP positive for H1N1 in Taiwan
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 05/23/2009 10:00 AM
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A 30-year-old Taiwanese woman and her five-year-old daughter who traveled in the Philippines for five days has tested positive for influenza A(H1N1) virus in Taiwan, officials said Friday.
The two were among the four new confirmed cases of the virus in Taiwan, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) said. Taiwan now has six H1N1 cases.
"She was feeling unwell while in Manila. She went to a clinic on Thursday after she developed a fever. Her daughter was also screened after she too was running a fever," said CDC spokesman Shih Wen-yi.
The CDC said the woman travelled in Manila from May 16 to 20 for a yoga convention with three relatives.
Authorities also decided to shut down the kindergarten the child attended in Taipei county for one week to prevent a possible outbreak.
The other three new cases were two sisters who returned from short-term studies in San Francisco on Thursday.
DOH to investigate
The Department of Health (DOH) said that it is looking into the report by Taiwan.
"The Philippine Department of Health has started investigating the matter. We are coordinating with the Taiwanese authorities and trying to contact the organisers to be able to trace all the attendants of the (yoga) event," the statement said.
About 100 or more people from the United States, Canada and Australia attended the yoga workshop, the department said.
It was not clear how the woman was infected, health department officials said.
Taiwan authorities are also tracing people who had contact with the woman and her daughter.
The department said it was "on top of the situation and we are closely monitoring this new development."
DOH-National Epidemiology Center chief Dr. Eric Tayag, in an interview on ANC's Prime News Saturday, also called on participants of the yoga convention to contact the DOH.
He asked the participants, as well as the organizers, to get in touch with the DOH at telephone number (02) 711 1001.
Tayag also said they have not yet determined whether the Taiwanese contracted the virus from foreigners who joined the yoga convention.
RP's first case
On Thursday night, the Philippines confirmed that a 10-year-old girl, who arrived from United States on May 18, tested positive for the virus. The girl was the first confirmed H1N1 case in the Philippines.
In a press conference on Friday, Health Undersecretary Mario Villaverde announced that the girl's mother, the person who has been in close contact with the girl, has tested negative for H1N1. He said the girl is "recovering well," but was still suffering from sore throat.
Dr. Mavic Vasquez, medical officer of the Department of Health (DOH), said they have obtained the manifest of the flight taken by the girl. Passengers who were seated around six feet or three rows in front, beside, and at the back of the girl have been identified.
These 17 passengers who sat closest to the girl are being traced so they can be notified and told to be vigilant about their health condition.
These people should immediately inform health authorities if they develop flu-like symptoms so they can be quarantined, Marquez said.
Home in 5 days
Dr. Eric Tayag, chief of the DOH-National Epidemiology Center, said the girl can go home in five days if her condition continues to improve.
"Sa tinaggap naming ulat, bumubuti ang lagay ng bata. Limang araw mula ngayon maari nang umuwi sa tahanan. Maganda dito, nang nilagnat siya, nagpatingin agad at tinawag sa amin. Napadala agad sa RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine) kaya hindi kumalat sa kanilang tahanan, parang na-restrain natin (Reports were received said the girl is recovering. She can go home five days from now. The good thing here we were immediately informed about her condition. She was immediately brought to the RITM, [the virus] was restrained])," Tayag said.
The girl came home with her parents on May 18. After her arrival, she suffered from fever, cough, and sore throat, and was immediately rushed to the hospital on May 19.
The RITM got hold of the tissue samples from the patient last May 20 and confirmed Thursday night that she tested positive for the H1N1 virus.
The DOH has advised the girl's family to undergo home quarantine. The DOH is sending another team to the girl's house for a "more thorough assessment."
The swine flu virus has claimed 86 lives worldwide with 11,168 infections confirmed, according to the World Health Organization. With reports from the Agence France-Presse
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