Swine flu strikes at Sandiganbayan Edson C. Tandoc Jr. Philippine Daily Inquirer
July 04, 2009
MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division is continuing its daily operation despite having one female employee who tested positive for the Influenza A(H1N1) virus.
Five other people in the office were told to go home after exhibiting flu-like symptoms, according to Sandiganbayan Executive Clerk of Court Renato Bocar.
Acting Presiding Justice Edilberto Sandoval on Thursday announced the first confirmed case in the anti-graft court.
Bocar said the woman, who was pregnant, got ill on June 25 and was confined in a hospital. She was discharged three days later but still decided to go on self-quarantine for five days before reporting to work on Wednesday.
She no longer had any symptoms by then but still wore a facial mask, Bocar said.
It was only on Thursday that she got the laboratory result confirming she was positive for the virus. She was told to go home and report to work on Monday.
Operations remained normal at the Sandiganbayan Friday, although many employees said work should have been suspended, like what the House of Representatives did two weeks ago after an employee died of the virus.
But Bocar said the Department of Health itself had said there was no need to suspend work. The Fifth Division held hearings Friday afternoon as scheduled.
Bocar advised employees to observe proper hygiene, like proper hand washing and covering the mouth when coughing or sneezing.
They were also asked to monitor themselves for any flu-like symptoms and report to the Sandiganbayan's in-house physician if they have any, Bocar added.
