The Learning Blog

The Philippine’s Department of Health (DOH) has reported the death of a female patient of heart failure with an incidental finding of the presence of the A(H1N1) virus through throat swabbing.

The post-mortem diagnosis of the 49-year-old patient was:  Congestive Heart Failure secondary to Acute Myocardial Infarction aggravated by severe Pneumonia  due to bacterial, viral, or both. It is not confirmed that the death of the patient was due to the virus.

As of this time, the Philippine’s total count nationwide is 445 confirmed cases and 1 death with a fatality rate of 0.2%. Worldwide (as of 19 June), 44, 287 confirmed cases with 180 deaths with a fatality rate of 0.4%.

Note: This news report is spoken in Tagalog and English.

If you ask me:

The increasing incidence of the A(H1N1) virus worldwide is a possible signal that this new strain of flu virus will be with us for a bit more time.

The virus moves more or less like the common flu viruses–influenza A and B. It moves from one infected person to a susceptible person through contaminated droplets coming from sneezing, coughing or talking. In fact, if we don’t consider its “newness”, the virus would have been just like the usual flu viruses that’s been circulating for years now. Interestingly, this new strain infects more younger people (median age of 19 years old here in the Philippines) but fortunately with no deaths on that age group. The people who are at risk of complications or even death are those who have pre-existing diseases such as diabetes, heart problems, individuals with poor immune system function, and also pregnant women.

Some experts said recently that if the virus would prolong its circulation globally, it could either replace an existing strain or co-exist with the three existing circulating strains of influenza.

The problems we have regarding flu viruses are:

• Size. Viruses are generally very, very small–20 to 100 times smaller than a bacteria. Because of this, transmission may not be totally prevented.
• Change. Flu viruses mutate almost always. They can either mutate to a less virulent strain or to the more virulent one. As of now, we can’t say where it’s going. Although there is a vaccine available, we can only ask how much time would these vaccines be effective. Remember, vaccines depend on a particular existing strain, so once the flu virus goes through a major change, then the existing vaccines either becomes useless or less effective.

Because of this, viruses are always a step ahead of us. We can only see where they were and the experiences we had with them before, and from those past information make our predictions; however, we cannot predict where they’re going.

I think the Philippine’s Department of Health or even other government agencies around the world including the World Health Organization have done their best but, like everyone, they can only go up to a certain point. Additionally, there is always the possibility that cases will go unreported, or that cases would be overlooked or neglected. Therefore, it’s time for us people in the community to do our share.

And how can we do our share?

• By not giving in to hysteria, I suppose would be the first thing to remember. People in panic mode won’t be able to think right. They can easily accept false stories and false claims of products that have bogus or unverified effects. (As an aside, maybe the only time I’d panic is when WHO starts to panic.)
• The control of infection always points to hygiene. So we ought to clean ourselves regularly and frequently.
• Report possible or suspected cases while respecting the patient’s right of privacy.
• Have a healthy lifestyle–don’t smoke, no alcohol, eat healthy, exercise, vaccinate, and proper rest would go a long way to boost immunity and to easily bear the brunt of the flu if already infected.
• Read good resources. The internet has a lot to offer and just googling “swine flu” or “influenza” would already give you lots and lots of information on the subject matter. Read the newspaper,  ask a doctor or a healthcare provider, listen to the radio, or watch TV for updates. I cannot overemphasize educating yourself and sharing those information to your friends, relatives, and family members. Isn’t it that when you learn more, you also become more confident in dealing with the situation?

To summarize:

The increasing number of swine flu cases around the world meant that the virus is expected to be with us maybe in the next few years or so; however I also hope this would change for the better in the near future. Total containment of the infection is impossibile but we still have the means to minimize our exposure not only to this virus but to future pandemics as well if we only do our part.

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