DOH advises Pinoys with flu-like symptoms to stay home as Amihan season starts

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa on Friday called on Filipinos suffering from symptoms of influenza-like illnesses (ILIs) to remain at home as much as possible now that the Northeast Monsoon (Amihan) season has arrived.

ILIs are a group of illnesses that present with common symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, colds, body aches, and headaches. The leading causative agents of ILI in the Philippines are rhinovirus, enterovirus, influenza A, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and adenovirus. 

"Ang advise ko pa rin if you have symptoms ng influenza-like illnesses is to stay at home, if hindi maiwasan kasi mahahawa niyo ang inyong mga kamag-anak na may edad o may mga sakit na, like cancer and diabetes," Herbosa said. 

(If you have symptoms of influenza-like illnesses, my advice for you is to stay at home as much as possible because you will infect your relatives who are old or have comorbidities, like cancer or diabetes.)

"So 'wag kayong lalapit sa kanila kung kayo'y uubo-ubo o sinsinghot niyo ang sipon niyo, makakahawa kayo ng influenza-like illnesses," he added. 

(So don't go near them if you cough or colds as you may infect them with influenza-like illnesses.) 

READ: Influenza-like illnesses: What are they?

State weather bureau PAGASA announced Monday that it has observed in the past few days meteorological patterns, such as increasing atmospheric pressure and cooling of the surroundings, which indicate the start of the Amihan season.

State meteorologists also said forecasts indicate that successive surges of the monsoon over the next two weeks could bring rough sea conditions over the seaboards of Northern Luzon.

"With these developments, the Amihan is expected to be more dominant in most areas of the country, bringing cool and dry air and episodes of cold temperature surges," PAGASA said.

Herbosa said that based on data by the Department of Health (DOH), the most common ILI in the country now is Influenza A, which is a contagious respiratory infection. 

"Pero hindi pa rin tayo outbreak level. Ito 'yung seasonal level ng pagdami [ng mga kaso]," the DOH chief said. 

(But we haven't reached an outbreak level. This is just a seasonal-level increase.) 

Herbosa also urged those with ILI symptoms to follow public health measures to avoid transmitting them to others.

"Warning ng DOH, mag-ingat tayo. [Follow the] public health measures [such as] cough etiquette. 'Pag uubo kayo, sa elbow niyo o mas maganda i-cover niyo ng tissue na itatapon niyo after. Tapos frequent handwashing," he said. 

(The DOH is reminding everyone to take care. They should follow public health measures such as cough etiquette. If you cough, cover your face with your elbow, or better cover it with tissue then throw it away after. They should also wash their hands frequently.)

The DOH earlier assured that there were no ILI outbreaks, adding that anxiety and fear experienced by some Filipinos about the spread of the disease were mostly post-traumatic stress responses to previous COVID-19 lockdowns. — VDV, GMA Integrated News