MANILA, 30 June 2009, 1600 hrs—The Philippines has become one of the latest countries to move from containment to mitigation in its response to the Pandemic H1N1 2009 virus. Under new measures announced by the Manila government, testing of all suspected cases is being discontinued. Instead, "selective testing" will be done on high-risk individuals, those arriving from abroad with flu-like symptoms and the first suspected cases in a community. Mandatory hospital confinement for confirmed and suspected cases is being lifted and voluntary home confinement is recommended for those with non-severe symptoms. The number of confirmed cases of Pandemic H1N1 2009 in the Philippines, as of 26 June, was 861, with one death associated with the disease.
In a separate development, it was learned that seven players taking part in the ASEAN Youth Football Cup in Bangkok, from 21-28 June, tested positive for the new H1N1 virus. Four were from Cambodia, two from the Lao People's Democratic Republic and one from Indonesia. All were isolated and treated with Tamiflu. They are now said to have fully recovered.
In the latest reporting, Japan announced an increase of 163 new cases, taking the national total to 1212. Australia, the worst-affected country in Asia, added 181 cases. Its total is now over 4,000, with seven deaths. New Zealand reported 66 more cases, lifting its tally to 653.
The total of laboratory-confirmed cases for the Western Pacific Region, as of 30 June, was more than 9,400, with eight deaths (in brackets besides the case numbers below). Not all countries are testing all suspected cases and some countries are not reporting on a daily basis.
- Australia 4038 (7)
- Brunei Darussalam 29
- Cambodia 6
- China 766
- Hong Kong (China) 726
- Macao (China) 20
- Taiwan (China) 61
- Fiji 2
- Japan 1212
- Lao PDR 3
- Malaysia 112
- New Zealand 653
- Papua New Guinea 1
- Philippines 861 (1)
- Republic of Korea 202
- Samoa 1
- Singapore 629
- Vanuatu 2
- Viet Nam 123
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