BACKGROUND

The Influenza Pandemic has made the world health authorities vigilant for the next pandemic. The First cases of the Novel Influenza A(H1N1) in Mexico infected 5,000 people in a span of 40 days. On May 22, 2009, the first case was reported in the Philippines. The rising incidence of people affected by this disease in several regions of the world prompted the WHO to declare a “pandemic”. The mounting number of affected people in the Philippines lead the Makati Medical Center to start a surveillance program.

OBJECTIVE

To describe in an epidemiologic prespective the cases managed at the MMC.

DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

This is a descriptive observational study of patients with suspected or confirmed influenza A (H1N1) infection treated at the Makati Medical Center. The study period was from May 3, 2009 to July 4, 2009. Patient consults were trended and analyzed. Confirmed cases were patients with nasopharyngeal throat swab specimens that tested positive for Influenza A (H1N1) by Real Time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (PT-PCR). Demographics were presented.

RESULTS

There were 548 patients seen at the MMC who were suspected of being infected with Influenza A (H1N1). Two hundered sixty (47%) were confirmed to be positive for the Influenza A(H1N1) infection. The reported cases were distributed in Cities around Makati and near by provinces. Most patients seen were aged 19 to 49 years. One hundred seventy one (66%) of cases had no travel history or exposure to patients with known cases of Influenza A (H1N1). Most common presenting symptoms are fever, couh, nasal congestion and sore throat. Most of the cases were treated as outpatient (89%) and only 16% were treated with oseltamivir. Only 1 out of the 260 confirmed cases expired.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

There is a heightened health-awareness among Filipino communities. The Makati Medical Center cohort shows the value and importance of multi-sectoral collaboration. The MMC data provided clinical evidence of a community level transmission. A great number of patients in the cohort was treated as out-patient without anti-viral therapy.

Pandemics ; Influenza, Human