MANILA: The Philippine House of Representatives suspended operations yesterday for five days after news that the country’s first swine flu-related fatality worked at the legislature. Australia reported its second swine flu-related death — the third for the Asia-Pacific region.
Malaysia shuttered another school in efforts to contain the spread of the pandemic flu virus, and China announced a school-closure plan to respond to future outbreaks.
Philippine House Speaker Prospero Nograles ordered the suspension after officials confirmed the 49-year-old woman with swine flu, who died Friday, worked for a congressional committee. The legislature building will be sanitized, said Nograles.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said some relatives and co-workers of the woman, who died of heart failure but also was infected with the H1N1 virus, were in quarantine.
The Philippines confirmed 28 more infections, bringing the country’s total to 473.
In Australia, a 35-year-old man with a range of medical problems died in a Melbourne hospital Saturday after seeking help for a flu-like illness Friday, an official said.
Swabs were taken and later tested positive for swine flu, said Dr. Rosemary Lester, acting chief health officer for Victoria state. On Friday, a 26-year-old man with multiple ailments including swine flu died at a hospital in the southern city of Adelaide. Authorities are not certain in either case that swine flu was the main cause of death. Australia had 2,733 confirmed cases of swine flu by yesterday.
Malaysia’s Health Ministry said it closed a third school yesterday as 10 new cases were reported. The new patients raised the total number of victims to 68.
Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said a private school was shut after an infected student who had returned from Australia transmitted the virus to another student. Two other primary schools remained closed this week.
Chinese authorities issued a plan for schools to contain future outbreaks as 27 more infections were confirmed, bringing the mainland’s total to 441 cases.
New Zealand Health Minister Tony Ryall warned Parliament that swine flu infection “will become very widespread” in coming months, but it will be mild and the country has the medical resources to handle it. New Zealand confirmed another 61 cases of swine flu, taking to 364 the tally of cases nationwide.
Thailand’s Public Health Ministry confirmed 125 new cases of swine flu yesterday, bringing the country’s total to 899 cases. The World Health Organization has declared a flu pandemic. As of Monday, it said more than 52,000 cases had been reported worldwide with 231 deaths, mostly in Mexico and the United States.
