JAEN, Nueva Ecija — Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said here Thursday he sees no reason “to declare a health emergency” over the A H1N1 flu situation in the country.

The health secretary visited this town on Wednesday to dramatize the mildness of the flu virus that hit the elementary school pupils in Barangay Hilera here since early June, laying emphasis on the need for everyone to stay calm.

He stressed, “ the DOH is in control of the situation, with the help of the local health authorities and local government people.”

Classes have remained suspended as declared by the Jaen mayor since early this month.

In this connection, Duque said he saw no need to declare a state of health emergency, saying that dengue is the more deadly virus. However, he has declared a “community level outbreak” in Hilera due to the rising cases of the swine flu.

However, he said it is up to the local government units to so declare any “state of calamity” as they see it.

Figures available from the Provincial Health Office under Dr. Benjamin Lopez showed some 57 new reported cases are still under tight watch with showings of flu-like symptoms, while 24 pupils of Hilera are also under observation.

Two Hilera elementary school pupils, identified as Arnel Ferrer, and Bernadette Paynor, both 11, and sixth graders, have quickly recovered from their positive A H1N1 cases which showed symptoms of fever, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Paynor’s mother Marina told Duque that her daughter’s symptoms lasted only three days.

Duque arranged the public interview of the two A H1N1 survivors who have recovered to show everybody that the A H1N1 virus strain that hit the country is “not deadly,” adding that the swine flu virus symptoms are “very, very mild.”

He also said that the 19 infected individuals in Hilera have quickly recovered. “They should not be treated as if they have been hit by a plague,” Dr. Duque stressed.

He also assured the Jaen townsfolk that the DOH will foot the bill in the treatment of the swine flu victims. They have been given supplies of Tamiflu, Vitamin C, antibiotics and food.

Early this week, Jaen Mayor Santiago Austria has placed the town under â state of calamity, with the backing of the municipal board.

Austria said the municipal board has authorized him to spend at least R600,000 emergency funds to deter the further spread of the virus in the town.