Malaysia Orders Students Returning from the US, UK, Australia and the Philippines to Perform H1N1 Self-Quarantine at Home for 7 Days

28 June 2009

According to a report from The Star Online, the Malaysian Health Ministry has ordered that students returning from the United States, Britain, Australia and the Philippines should observe a 7-day self-quarantine at home to prevent possible spread of the H1N1 flu virus.  The Malaysians obviously view the four countries as virtual H1N1 spots frequented by Malaysian students.

More on this story in this courtesy of GMANews.tv:

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

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First Confirmed H1N1 Case in the Philippines — Bakit sa Malaysia Sinabi Yung Airlines & Flight No. Nung First H1N1 Case, Bakit sa Pilipinas, Hindi?

22 May 2009

At the end of this post is the latest update as of May 22 in the new DOH website.  It is dated May 21 but I'm sure it was posted only today.

What is evident in this latest update by the DOH is that IT DOES NOT TELL US THE AIRLINES AND FLIGHT NO. which brought this 10-year old girl back home to the Philippines.

Let's compare this first H1N1 case handling by the Philippine DOH with the first H1N1 case handling by Malaysia, our next-door neighbor.

This is a screenshot of a ChannelNewsAsia video report on May 15, 2009:

This are two screenshots of a Star video report on May 15, 2009 clearly identifying Malaysia Airline flight MH091 from Newark, New Jersey, USA as the flight taken by the first Malaysia H1N1 case patient:

and asking the passengers of said flight to contact the Health Ministry at its hotlines:

  

This is the video clip of the Star report from youtube:

Why is it that the Malaysians could disclose the airlines and flight no. which took the first H1N1 case patient to Malaysia from the United States while here in the Philippines, the health authorities have, so far, told us nothing?!  

Paano tayo magiging VIGILANT kung WALA TAYONG ALAM?!!!

To sum up, heto po yung detalye nung first Malaysian H1N1 case:

MALAYSIA FIRST H1N1 CASE

Patient Name :  Undisclosed   

Age :   21

Country of Origin :  United States

City of Origin :  Newark, New Jersey, USA

Destination :  Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Airlines :  Malaysian Airlines

Flight No. :  MH091

Arrival Date :  May 13, 2009

Arrival Time :  7:15am

This is the first Philippines H1N1 case:

PHILIPPINES FIRST H1N1 CASE

Patient Name :  Undisclosed  (Understandable because she's a child)

Age :   10

Country  of Origin :  United States

City of Origin :  Not disclosed to the public (why?)

Destination :  NAIA or maybe, Centennial (probably)

Airlines :  Not disclosed to the public (why?)

Flight No. :  Not disclosed to the public (why?)

Arrival Date :  May 18, 2009

Arrival Time :  Not disclosed to the public (why?)

What is the difference between Malaysia and the Philippines? 

The Malaysians have a better right to know?  Bakit?!

Ok, here now, is the latest update on as of May 22 in the new DOH website. 

 UPDATE NO. 18 - RP's FIRST H1N1 CASE

21 May  2009 

The Department of Health is officially announcing this evening the first confirmed case of Influenza A (H1N1) in the Philippines.

A female traveler arrived in the Philippines on May 18, Monday, from the United States and Canada. A throat specimen was collected, and was tested at the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) on May 20, Wednesday, after she developed fever, sore throat and cough.  

Today, RITM confirmed that the specimen tested positive for the novel Influenza A (H1N1) on PCR using the primers sent by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  

She was immediately started on an antiviral, Oseltamivir, and given supportive care. At this time, the patient is continuously being monitored. She no longer has fever or cough, but still has sore throat.  

The DOH would like to emphasize that there is no community level outbreak in the country and measures are being done by the government to prevent transmission, starting with the quarantine of household close contacts.

The family of the patient has been informed and advised about the situation. We would like to thank them for their cooperation and willingness to comply with the recommendations of the DOH. They were advised to observe self-monitoring, home quarantine, social distancing, proper hygiene and respiratory etiquette procedures.  

We appeal to our media partners and the rest of the nation to respect the privacy and anonymity of the patient and her family. Rest assured that any information vital to protect public health and safety will be appropriately shared to those concerned.  

The DOH also stresses that the discovery of this first case of Influenza A(H1N1) in the Philippines is something we have been preparing for and is a result of the collective efforts of both public and private sectors as well as the effective surveillance system which we have put in place.

The DOH has already notified the International Health Regulations (IHR) and will submit its official report in 24 hours.

Influenza A (H1N1) is currently affecting 41 other countries with 11,034 cases and 85 deaths. Thus far, the behavior of the virus is to cause generally mild illness and low mortality (<1%)>

This development only shows the vulnerability of all countries to the threat of Influenza A (H1N1) which indicates that no nation and no government should be complacent. Thus, we continue to strengthen our systems for surveillance, early detection and management and effective response. We are also closely coordinating with the WHO, other agencies of government and the private sector to effectively combat the virus.

Our stockpiles of Oseltamivir is currently sufficient at 1 million capsules and have been distributed in regional hubs all over the country. We would like to remind the public that Oseltamivir may only be dispensed and taken upon the advice of your doctor. Irrational use can result in drug resistance that causes the drug to become ineffective in the future.

We reiterate to the public that government is on top of the situation and everyone is advised to be vigilant. If you have arrived from an affected country and develop flu-like symptoms (or TRANGKASO) such as fever, sore throat and cough, immediately consult a medical professional or call the DOH Hotline at (02) 711-1001 or 711-1002.

This situation is evolving globally. We will give regular updates to the media and the public as information becomes available.  

To know more about Influenza A(H1N1), you may go to the DOH Influenza A(H1N1) Website at www.doh.gov.ph/h1n1

More on this when I return.

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OK, Let's Assert National Sovereignty at the Spratlys — But With What? Floating Coffins Against Our Neighbors' State-of-the-Art Navies?

18 May 2009

I just finished watching Bandila at ABS-CBN with Ces Oreña-Drilon reporting on Prof. Rommel Banlaoi's lamentations on the woeful conditions of our military "fortifications" at the Kalayaan group of islands. Banlaoi is the executive director of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research.  He has been to the area recently and observed the deplorable conditions of the Philippine presence there.

In her report, Ces informs us that the Philippines has only four (4) Navy personnel guarding Lawak island. Lawak is one of nine (9) islands in the Kalayaan group occupied by the Philippines. The other eight (8) are Pag-asa, Patag, Likas, Panata, Kota, Rizal Reef, Parola and Ayungin Shoal. 

Shots were shown in the video of our "barong-barong" outpost in Rizal Reef compared with the modern-looking Chinese outpost in Fiery Cross Reef, the Vietnamese outpost in Amboyna Cay, and the Malaysian outpost in Swallow Reef which has a helipad and a functional runway.  In Pag-asa, the Philippines had no structure in the island and the edge of what used to be a runway has been washed away by the sea; the condition on Ayungin Shoal is unsightly with the pathetic remains of what appears to be an LST beached near the shore to prevent ships from going near. Ayungin Shoal is nearest to the Chinese presence in Mischief Reef.

     

According to Prof. Balaoi, it is not enough that the Philippines has passed the Baselines Law which asserts our claims over the Kalayaan Group. He insists that our government needs to improve the Navy's capability to match the demands of that law so that it can be enforced.  

This is the ABS-CBN video clip via kyte.tv:

How come a purportedly frontline ally of the United States is not gifted with military equipment similar to what our much-smaller neighbors such as Malaysia and Singapore have possessed for decades?  

How does a country reputed to have one of the most corrupt governments in the world stand up against the likes of say, the Chinese Navy which has hardware capable of grievous firepower as featured in this CNN report?

And in this Reuters report as well:

Four Navy personnel at Lawak?!  Hindi pa ginawang lima para puwede nang basketball team! C'mon!  Mrs. Arroyo, Senator Enrile, Speaker Nograles ... wake up! You can do better than that!

The valor and gallantry of Filipinos in arms is unquestionable — just remember the mighty Lapu-lapu, the audacious Tarik Soliman, the unflinching Supremo, Andres Bonifacio, the fearless Gabriela Silang, the steady Sgt. Jose Calugas who won the U.S. Congressional Medal of Honor, the thousands of "battling bastards" of Bataan and Corregidor whose collective heroism seriously upset the Japanese timetable of conquest in the Pacific, the tenacious Colonel Ariel Querubin, who won the Philippines' coveted Medal of Valor. No! The element in question here is the commitment of a government that asks our men in arms to risk their life for country but does not give them the wherewithal to at least stand a Chinaman's chance of fulfilling the mission successfully or, at the very least, surviving the enemy's onslaughts with their pride and dignity intact.

 

We may not be expected to survive an attack by our more powerful neighbors but like the wartime jurist and patriot Jose Abad Santos, we are duty-bound to do everything we can to prevent ourselves from being at their mercy or from bending our knees to them in shameful surrender.

  

 

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