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DOH-CAR holds flu symposium

BAGUIO CITY (Feb.17) - The Department of Health-Cordillera Administrative Region (DOH-CAR) conducted a symposium with the topic “Understanding Avian Inluenza and Influenza Pandemic” at Café Caridad, Legarda Road here.

Doctor Antonio Bautista, DOH-CAR Epidemiologist explained that the Avian Flu or “Bird Flu” is a viral respiratory illness of birds, while the Pandemic Influenza is the illness of humans caused by the Bird flu virus.

Bautista said that there is an urgent need to prepare the region especially the places where migratory birds are found like Sagada (Mt. Province), Sinipsip (Buguias), and Hungduan (Ifugao) for the possible outbreak of both diseases.

“We are lucky that we are still an Avian Flu-free country because those which are coming in our country are not infected. But we will never know until when,” Bautista expressed.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), placed the total fatality rate of pandemic influenza at 52% in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Iraq, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam.

Bautista also said that we have a high risk of acquiring the disease since we are very near the infected countries. He further claimed that it is a very dangerous disease since people have no immunity on the virus, and no vaccines are developed yet for Influenza Pandemic.

Comparing the fatality rate of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) which is only 11%, and the meningococcemia with 20%, this disease will kill more than half of the victims of this virus. That’s why we need to prepare for and prevent it from happening as much as possible,” Bautista said.

The DOH-CAR together with other agencies has already come up with a provincial Task Force for Avian and Pandemic Flu Awareness, which started in October 2005. # Katherine del Rosario/ UP Intern for NORDIS

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