H1N1 cases in RP nears 400

DOH PRESS RELEASE:

Update 46

DUQUE: 70% OF ALL REPORTED A (H1N1) CASES HAVE ALREADY FULLY RECOVERED AS 13 MORE PATIENTS WERE SENT HOME TODAY
20 June 2009

Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III today reported that 13 more fully recovered A (H1N1) patients were already sent home, thus bringing the total count of fully recovered cases to 275. This figure constitutes 70% of the total confirmed cases reported since May 1.

Duque also disclosed that there are 48 more confirmed A (H1N1) cases recorded today, all mild in nature. These new additional cases bring the total number of (mild) confirmed cases to 392.

The new 48 mild confirmed cases involved 20 males and 28 females. The age range of cases is 1-53 years old, with 17 as median age.

Duque noted that 45 of the cases are Filipinos, while the remaining 3 are foreigners. He added that 12 of the new cases have a history of travel to a country affected with the novel virus.

Duque noted that all of these new patients are responding positively to their treatments.

Duque reminded the public that the simplest ways to avoid contracting the flu are to wash hands thoroughly and to cover mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze, respectively.

Meanwhile, as of June 19, the World Health Organization reported 44,287 cases with 180 deaths from 90 reporting countries. Lao, Netherlands Antilles Sint Maarten, Oman, Papua New Guinea, South Africa and Suriname are the new countries reporting with A (H1N1) cases.