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Sixth swine flu case confirmed in Taiwan

ROC Central News Agency

2009.05.22 23:24:50

By Sofia Wu

Taipei, May 22 (CNA) The Central Epidemics Command Center confirmed yet another case of swine flu, officially known as influenza A (H1N1) , late Friday, bringing the number of infected patients in Taiwan to six.

The sixth patient is the 5-year-old daughter of the fourth confirmed patient, a 30-year-old Taiwanese woman who, along with her daughter, returned home Wednesday from Manila on Philippine Airlines flight RP896, said center spokesman Shih Wen-yi.

Because the girl attended her kindergarten class -- affiliated with Guangfu Elementary School in Taipei County's Zhonghe City -- as usual Thursday, the school will be closed until May 29, Shih said.

All of the elementary school's 1,589 faculty members and students should observe their health during the week-long period, and the kindergarten's 119 teachers, staff members and students should confine themselves to their homes and take anti-flu medicine for 10 days, Shih added.

While in the Philippines capital, both the mother and her daughter participated in an international yoga event, which was also attended by people from the United States, Canada and Australia, all swine flu-affected areas.

The mother did not have a fever upon arriving at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Wednesday, and she dined at a friend's house that evening after resting at home.

According to Shih, who declined to identify where the patient lives, the woman developed a fever and other flu-like symptoms including coughing and weakness Thursday and was soon quarantined, as was her daughter that night after developing a fever earlier in the day.

The center is investigating whether individuals who had contact with the woman are also suffering from the flu, Shih said.

The fifth confirmed case was the older sister of the third person identified as a swine flu patient. The two are students studying in the U.S. who returned to Taiwan early Thursday on an EVA Airways flight.

Because of the growing number of cases, Shih said the center has decided to give medication to those who had direct contact with confirmed H1N1 patients without first conducting tests.

Meanwhile, Shih also said that the epidemic alert in Taiwan remains at the second stage of yellow, suggesting that only imported cases have been reported.