MANILA - The Department of Health (DOH) confirmed on Monday eight cases of the influenza A (H1N1) virus in a high school in Bulacan.

In a press conference Monday at the De La Salle University (DLSU), Health Secretary Francisco Duque said the eight cases at the Candelaria National High School in Bulacan would bring the country's total number of confirmed H1N1 cases to 155.

He said the data would be updated  in a press conference scheduled to be held later in the day at the DOH.

Classes at the Candelaria National High School were suspended last week after nearly 50 students developed flu-like symptoms.

Transmission rate

Citing data of the Atlanta-based Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Duque said the "rate of transmission" of the H1N1 virus is 20% in a household and between 7%-10% in a community.

This rate of transmission is the same as the common flu virus, he said.

Duque also warned against spreading wrong information about the H1N1 virus, saying this would make it more difficult to manage the disease.

He reiterated that the virus is not dreaded and not fatal.

No class suspension if...

Duque also said that the government will soon be adopting a new protocol on suspension of classes after the World Health Organization (WHO) upgraded the pandemic alert level to 6.

He said there would no longer be a need to close schools in case there is already community transmission of the virus.

Suspension of classes will only be implemented if it can still help prevent the spread of the virus.

However, he said that if the virus becomes more virulent, the DOH will again adopt a new protocol. "We will have a different response level system," he said.

Highest in SEA

Asked why the Philippines has the most number of H1N1 cases in Southeast Asia, Duque said this was due to aggressive surveillance, continued contact tracing, and the government's policy of transparency.

He claimed other countries were not as transparent and as fast as the Philippines in reporting H1N1 cases.

On Sunday, the DOH  had announced that 36 more people have been infected with influenza A (H1N1) virus, which brought the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 147.

The DLSU reopened classes on Monday following a suspension to help prevent the virus from spreading after 15 people were infected by the index case, a Japanese student.