Low-level H1N1 outbreak in Metro declared

MANILA - The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday said 28 more Filipinos have tested positive for influenza A (H1N1) infection, as a "low-level community outbreak" was declared in Metro Manila due to an increasing number of schools affected by the disease.

In a press statement, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said the 28 new cases involved 16 males and 12 females with ages ranging from seven months to 49 years old. All of the new cases have had no history of travel to any affected country, he said.

The total number of confirmed cases in the Philippines is now at 473, the DOH stated.

Duque also said 26 more A (H1N1) patients in the Philippines have already fully recovered, bringing the total count of those who have fully recovered to 400. The figure represents 85 percent of all the confirmed cases reported since May 21.

Duque reiterated there that is only one reported A(H1N1)-related death in the Philippines, which is also the first swine flu-related death in Asia.

In a press conference Monday, the health chief identified the victim as a 49-year-old woman residing in Metro Manila who died last June 19. Cause of death was "congestive heart failure secondary to acute myocardial infarction aggravated by severe pneumonia either bacterial, viral or both."

He said "a throat-swab revealed that she was positive for A (H1N1)."

The health chief said the woman's husband and 21-year-old son were quarantined after exhibiting symptoms of A (H1N1) infection.

Low-level outbreak in metro

The low-level community outbreak was declared in Metro Manila, specifically in Manila, Parañaque, Quezon City, Marikina, Makati, Pasig, Mandaluyong, and Caloocan.

Areas particularly affected are those where third-level transmission has been confirmed by the DOH, especially around schools with A (H1N1) cases.

Twenty-two schools in the national capital region have had students, faculty or staff getting the virus.

Third-level transmission occurs when a person contracts the illness from another person who has contracted the same from an "index case," or the initial patient, the DOH explained.

The DOH said they will now focus on curing patients than on contact tracing, saying it is now "impossible" to do contact tracing now that the virus transmission has shifted to migration.

The health department, however, said that the public should not be alarmed by this announcement, since it is not yet a sustained community outbreak.

They also said that the spread of the virus is still under control, since the cases are lumped together in small clusters, particularly in schools.

rally

no to con ass

ako mismo

h1n1

crazy story

Let me tell you a crazy story I heard recently.There' s this husband who
out of sheer love for his wife decided to prove it to her. So he swam the
widest oceans, crossed the deepest rivers, and climbed the highest
mountains to show his deep devotion to her. But in the end, she divorced
him.

Why? Because he was never home.(Get it?)

Let me tell you an experience I had as a kid. One day, I asked Mom, "Why do
my shoes keep eating my socks?" As a young boy, that was always a mystery
for me. All my other classmates never had that problem. Their socks
remained tight and high up their legs the entire day.

Mom didn't answer my question but simply gave me two rubber bands which I
dutifully placed around the top of my socks. To this day, fifteen years
later, I still have permanent circle marks around my legs. But aside from
giving me this slight defect, the two bands worked like magic.

It never occurred to me that Dad and Mom didn't have the money to buy a new
pair of socks for me. So I wore five-year-old socks, all soggy, grayish,
and garter less. And yet amazingly, I never complained. I believe it was
because Dad was always home when I needed him. Every night, after coming
from work, we'd jog together, sit around, and talk about Tarzan, Farrah
Fawcett Majors,God, and what I wanted to be when I grew up (a stockholder)
. On Saturdays, we'd walk to Cubao, eat a hotdog-on-a- stick,and buy new
rubber bands before going home.

I've learned that in truth, we don't want our loved ones to show their love
for us in big ways. Swimming the widest oceans,crossing the deepest rivers,
and climbing the highest mountains seem spectacular - but that's not what
we really want. Deep in our hearts, we just want them HOME . With us.

Sometimes, God will operate that way. Suddenly, He decides not to answer
our prayers, or fill our need, or heal our sickness, or give us the miracle
we're asking for. (He's got reasons why He won't, and believe me - they're
pretty good ones.) So He'll just be there beside you, holding you in a hug.
Sharing your pain.. Weeping as you weep. Oh, He might give you some rubber
bands. And that small comfort from Him will be more than enough to sustain
you. Because the most essential truth you already know.

...home.

ANG SARAP MAGING SENADOR!

Miriam Defensor Santiago was featured in Correspondents last week.

Maganda rin naman ang naidudulot ng pagiging prangka ni Senador Miriam Defensor-Santiago. Ayon kay Santiago , marami ang tumatak-bong Senador dahil sa laki ng budget na ibinibigay sa kanila kada buwan.

Lumalabas na P35,000 suweldo nila kada buwan ay pakitang-tao lang sa milyun-milyong budget ng bawat senador... Kada buwan ay may Fixed Monthly Budget ang bawat Senador ng humigit-kumulang P2 Milyon.

Sa opisina pa lang nila ay humigit-kumulang P500,000 ang budget nila sa Maintenance and Operating Expenses (Rental, Utilities, Supplies at Domestic Travels) at P500,000 para sa Staff at Personal expenses. Kaya para makatipid ang ibang Senador, kaunti lang ang staff na kinukuha nila. Nagtataka ka pa kung bakit mayroong mga Ghost Employee?

Bukod diyan, may P760,000 allowance pa sila kada buwan para naman sa Foreign Travel. At ang masakit pa nito, hindi na kailngan i-liquidate ang mga resibo ng mga gastusin 'yan kundi Certification lang ang Requirement.

Heto pa, lahat sila ay Chairman ng mg Komite sa Senado. Ang Committee Chairman ay tumatanggap din ng budget na sinlaki ng tinatanggap ng mga Senador na humigit-kumulang P1 Milyon din! Hindi sila mawawalan ng Komite dahil 24 lang ang ating mga Senador at 37 naman ang Committee sa Senado. There's food for everybody 'ika nga! Lumalabas na doble ang kanilang benepesiyo at kita kapag sila ay nabiyayaan ng Committee Chairmanship.

Sa P200 milyon na Budget para sa Pork Barrel ng mga Senador bawat taon, awtomatikong may 10% na S.O.P. o kita ng Senador na P20 milyon. Ito ang porsiyento na ibinibigay ng mga kontratista sa mga Senador na nagbibigay sa kanila ng mga Infrastructure at Livelihood Project.

Bago matapos ang termino ng isang Senador, kumita na siya ng P100 milyon sa Pork Barrel pa lang. Yung ibang Senador mas gahaman, hindi lang 10% kundi 20 - 30% ang komisyon hinihingi sa mga kontratista.

Pansinin niyo na lang ang pagbabago ng buhay ng ilan sa ating mga Senador simula nang manungkulan sa puwesto. Kung dati ay simple lang ang kanilang pamumuhay ngayon ay nakatira na sila sa mga eksklusibong subdivision, maraming bahay sa Pilipinas at abroad at mahigit lima ang sasakyan.

Ngayon nagtataka ka pa ba kung bakit gumagastos ng daan-daang milyong piso ang mga Senador sa kampanya para sa isang posisyon na P35,000 lang ang suweldo kada buwan? Bawing-bawi pala ang gastos kapag naupo na!

ANG SARAP MAGING SENADOR! ! !


One of the reasons why the Philippines will never, ever get off the ground......ayon...... kaya talagang mahirap pan umasenso ang bansang Pilipinas - yung mismo nilang gobierno ninanakawan and kanilang kapuwa taong pilipino at hindi pa iyan..... hindi pa sila nagbabayad ng buwis sa bansa - kaya lahat ng kalyehon lubak-lubak at masyadong madumi at mababaho!!! Hindi na sila nahiya sa kanilang nakikita....eh kasalanan naman nila yoon - dapat sa kanila pumunta lahat ng mahihirap.....[we should be thankful to miriam defensor santiago for being fair dinkum and honest about this - for exposing these people - that is what the country needs are - whistleblowers - if there are no whistleblowers the country will never ever prosper and will just sit in the sidelines watching with envy the prosperity of the other southeast asian countries - look at Vietnam now, much better.......while the rest of the new breed of filipinas are just maids - the present level of education has also deteriorated in that country - whether it be ateneo, up, la salle - they could not compete anymore - they do not know how to use their education to better up their poor country, they prefer to steal not to assist in the path of prosperity for their country - they lack human factor and social conscience and no social responsibility....the result of a poor level of education. so wake up, you filipinos paying your taxes there, stop defending your corrupt masters and do something!!!!! we all feel so sorry for you....

way to go susan boyle!!!

I can't help to watch it over again and again...ever feel this..smiling from within your heart and crying moving tears as you are watching such an incredible singer, listening to her breathtaking voice...beyond words..Best Wishes to everyone out there, keep believing in yourself..never say never :D

E X P L O R E

TRUST is the core of relationship...
without it,love can never survive...

and if the relation breaks down...
no one can really put in words....
how painful is it.,as if your heart is..
being squeezed by a force that you cannot stop...
because your world suddenly change direction...
and you are helpless to stop it....

but look on brighter side of this....
you will be end up a lot wiser.......
because you don't want to be in the same,..
situation again..and it is a gift that we..
have always our friends who never leaves us..

you can do it,i know you can,...
you're very young and you have ..
the a world to "E X P L O R E"..