Disease outbreaks, not only flu

Thank God, a swine flu vaccine is in the making, although the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a recent report that the virus samples are not growing very fast in laboratories, making it difficult for scientists to produce the vaccine. The flu virus has, since April, spread to 40 countries now, with recorded cases of 9,830 cases with 80 deaths and the number is still growing. Here in our country, w are thankful that Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque and its people have been vigilant and aggressive in the surveillance of the disease and taking all steps necessary to prevent the A-H1N1 virus from spreading here. Despite the quick spreading to many countries, many still underestimate the virulence of the disease compared to the common flu, which kills 250,000 to 500,000 each year worldwide. However, we should know that the virus is unpredictable, and we should not lose guard especially in the absence of a full-proof vaccine. By the way, scientists of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US say that the flu virus can live on a surface for up to three days and this alone increases people’s vulnerability to the virus.

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