The Department of Health (DOH) announced Friday that the Philippines now has 14 confirmed cases of influenza A(H1N1) virus, but advised the public not to be alarmed even as it expects the number of cases to climb further.

In a press conference, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the Philippines has 14 confirmed cases of H1N1, up from 10 on Thursday, plus 27 new suspected H1N1 cases.

Duque said the 14 patients with H1N1 have "mild symptoms," and are responding positively to treatment. He said the Philippines still has no severe H1N1 case, and none of the patients has died.

The DOH said two of the new cases -- a two-year-old girl and a 20-year-old male -- had contact with a Taiwanese mother and her daughter at a wedding in Zambales last May 17.

Like most cases globally, Duque said the 14 cases in the Philippines are a "mild form of influenza."

Duque said that if he global consensus is that there is "no evidence of mutation" and that the virus is not virulent, then the DOH will be managing the virus as part of its "regular disease control program."

Not alarming

"As the Department of Health anticipates the cases of H1N1 to rise, as what is happening in many countries, there should be no cause for alarm," he said.

Duque also reiterated that the government will not postpone the opening of classes in the public schools on June 1 because there is still no indication that "there is already sustained community transmission" of the virus in the country.

He said the rapid increase in the number of cases of the virus worldwide is due to the "ease of [the virus'] transmission" and the "unrestricted flow of travelers."

Duque said the 14 cases are currently confined in designated health institutions in the country and all of them are responding well to treatment.

"The Department of Health assures the public to closely watch the situation and strengthen the country's preparedness and response plan," he said.

However, the health secretary said pregnant women, children and people with asthma, hypertension, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, morbid obesity and immunodeficiency are more prone to catching the dreaded virus.

Globally, he said there were 13,398 confirmed H1N1 cases with 98 deaths, as of May 27.