First Philippine Death from Swine Flu

Exactly one month (31 days) after the Philippines reported its first H1N1 confirmed case on May 22, one Filipino citizen died from the flu.

The Department of Health (DOH) announced on June 22 the death of Philippines' first victim of the worldwide pandemic swine flu virus H1N1.

The victim was a 49-year-old female, resident of Sta. Rosa, Laguna, and a worker at the House of Representatives in Quezon City. She attended the seminar of the committee affairs department from June 15 to 16 in an unreported venue, and fell ill the following day. Her companion in the seminar also fell ill. Other attendees of that seminar can be reasonably considered infected too. She has also travelled to Kalinga together with officemates.

She died on June 19 due to acute myocardial infarction, which is characterized by sudden chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, palpatations, and sweating. She displayed flu-like symptoms on June 17, two days before her death. Considering the incubation of around seven days for H1n1, her infection may have occurred a week earlier. She died at home as a case of H1N1 infection without history of travel outside the country.

As of June 22, A(H1N1) virus reached Mindanao with its first confirmed case recorded in Butuan City. Cebu also reported its first three confirmed cases. They are students of the University of Cebu Lapu-lapu and Mandaue (UCLM).

Sources 1, 2

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