Catbalogan on toes as DOH confirms case of AH1N1

By NINFA B. QUIRANTE (PIA Samar)
June 17, 2009

CATBALOGAN, Samar  –  Catbalogan, Samar’s capital is bracing for a case of AH1N1.

The afflicted person whose identity was not divulged, is an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) who is on vacation and has reportedly come from Singapore.

The patient, said Provincial Health Officer Dr. Dulce Cernal sought admission at the EVRMC on June 10 and it is only Tuesday, June 16, 2009 that the result was known as positive.

The patient remains at the EVRMC as of presstime.

Parents of students enrolled at St. Mary’s College of Catbalogan (SMCC) are panicky that the two children of the affected person may be spreading the flu as they are enrolled at the RVM sisters institution.

SMCC does not answer telephone calls and the media was just given a notification dated June 16, that classes in the ‘basic education level’ has been suspended until Friday, June 19, 2009.

The advisory talked of precautionary measures but said, “There is no confirmed case in the school and no confirmed community level transmission…”

The announcement bore the name Sr. Rachel Bernardo, RVM.

From fellow media officers, PIA learned that the wife is also a public school teacher and that the family has two helpers who sought medical care from the Samar Provincial Hospital.

Chief of Hospital Dr Rudolf Mabulay in a phone interview said the hospital is getting ready with a huge preparation on managing this affliction. The doc though gave advice to the public about personal hygiene, handwashing and remaining within a safe distance from those afflicted with flu.

DOH Samar Representative Dr. Antonio Tirazona confirmed the case through a text message.

Tirazona added that the patient’s contacts will be subjected to laboratory tests tomorrow.

DOH also adviced the Samar Provincial Hospital and the Rural health Unit of Catbalogan to respond appropriately.

Although the official announcement from the RVM school says suspension of classes is only until Friday, Tirazona in his text message said the suspension is for ten days.