3 more on flu watch

An American man and two female "balikbayan" were placed under observation after showing symptoms of the Influenza A (H1N1) virus in an undisclosed hospital in this capital city of the Caraga Region, health officials reported yesterday.

Doctors collected on Saturday "respiratory swabs" from the three patients, whose identities were not disclosed, after they voluntarily submitted themselves to health authorities.

Dr. Florminda Tejano, Department of Health (DoH) Northeastern Mindanao Chief of Regulations, said the patients’ swabs were personally brought by DoH Regional Director Leonita Gorgolon to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa City.

The results would be known on Wednesday, Tejano said.

She said the American male patient hails from Alabama and while the two women are residents of California.

During a news conference yesterday, authorities declined to give further details as to when the three arrived in the country and which Caraga city or town they had visited.

The region is composed of five provinces: Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur.

Tejano said last Saturday, the three developed fever and cough, which are among the symptoms of the virus.

As of press time, contact tracing was being done to locate persons with whom the three had contact with while their family members and relatives were advised to go on self-quarantine, health officials here said.

Tejano said the latest medical bulletin on Tuesday suggested that the body temperature of the two patients had slowly gone down to normal. (TEMPO)

UPDATE: DOH Caraga Reg'l Director Leonita Gorgolon in a radio interview this morning said the swab results of the three patients came out last night and they all tested negative.

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