Human Swine Flu-A New Threat to Human Health
For the past early part of this year, the news about a porcine (pig)-related disease have been the new attention-getter for health-conscious people. Pigs, mostly in the Luzon province like Pangasinan has been said to be hit by swine flu (swine influenza). Now, the disease is threatening us humans although the Department of Health assured that no cases of Human Swine Flu have been recorded so far in the Philippines.
Death toll of the cases of swine flu-related cases in Mexico has increased to more than 100 and Spain yesterday (April 27, 2009) has reported it’s first flu-related case. In lieu of this, Asian nations have issued complete ban for travelers to go to the said affected places. Luckily in the Philippines, no cases of the H1N1 virus or the human swine flu virus have been recorded since the outbreak of this disease. However, the Department of Health will not be taking chances and have issued precautionary measures against the threat of the H1N1 virus.
Spearheaded by Secretary Francisco Doque III the DOH has issued such preventive measures as washing hands regularly, covering of the nose and the mouth when coughing or sneezing, and most importantly, having check up if flu symptoms appears. The DOH also stressed that the disease is not transmitted by eating pork if it is properly cooked but eating pork products from countries such as Mexico and Spain as well as America have been temporarily banned.
The threat brought about by the Human Swine Flu outbreak in the Mexico and other countries does not except Philippines from its danger. So the preparations done by the health authorities of our country will help us if not to prevent the entrance of this H1N1 virus in our country, at least lessen the damage that might be sustained by us people.
At least a hundred persons in our city have been infected with the H1N1 virus. I was very scared to get infected with this disease during the pandemic…