Health authorities on Friday urged the public not to panic over the World Health Organization's declaration of an Influenza A(H1N1) pandemic, reiterating that the disease can be avoided and easily treated with proper health care practices. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III also clarified that the WHO's decision to raise its warning level from phase 5 to phase 6 – the highest – only indicates the breadth of the virus' geographic spread, and does not signify a rise in its severity or the number of fatalities. In fact, despite the declaration of an A(H1N1) pandemic, Duque said the DOH is considering scaling down its efforts to contain the spread of the disease, which he said can be easily treated with proper home care. “We emphasize proper care of the patient. We might scale down efforts to contain the spread of the virus because we can't continue doing that, we will run out of people and resources. We have been unable to pay attention to more important programs of the Department of Health because everyone's so focused on A(H1N1),” Duque said. Dr. Eric Tayag of the Department of Health's National Epidemiology Center, likewise said the pandemic declaration should not prompt people to run to hospitals over the slightest flu symptoms. “Such an announcement does not mean people should rush to the hospitals. Just stay alert and watch for symptoms, and don't rush to the hospital just because you feel the need to clear your throa,” Tayag said. Duque said the WHO itself said in its advisory that home care for patients with mild cases would suffice, unless the patient has a history of having heart, lung, or liver problems, in which case the patient should be given due medical attention by health authorities. There are 92 confirmed swine flu patients in the Philippines as of Thursday, but 32 of them have fully recovered and have been discharged. Health authorities stress that the cases were only mild. No fatality has been reported in the country. The WHO declared an A(H1N1) pandemic Thursday, the first global flu pandemic in 41 years, after an emergency meeting with its experts. Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General, said in a statement Thursday that nearly 30,000 confirmed cases have been reported in 74 countries. But Chan said the “overwhelming majority” of patients experience only mild systems, and that they make “rapid and full recovery, often in the absence of any form of medical treatment.” “Worldwide, the number of deaths is small. Each and every one of these deaths is tragic, and we have to brace ourselves to see more. However, we do not expect to see a sudden and dramatic jump in the number of severe or fatal infections,” Chan said.
