Fear gripped some 3,000 employees and members of the House of Representatives after the Department of Health (DoH) confirmed that the first reported fatality of the A(H1N1) flu virus was a legislative staff member who was unaware she contracted the dreaded disease.

Angered by the “late” public disclosure of the incident, Marikina City Rep. Marcelino Teodoro, chairman of the House Committee on People’s Participation which employed the victim, immediately called for a congressional probe even as two more legislative staff employees were confirmed to have been infected with the virus.

Speaker Prospero Nograles swiftly ordered suspension of work and operations until June 28. He also directed immediate medical examination of House employees while cleanliness and sanitation efforts are under way.

Deputy Secretary General Ricardo Roque announced that despite the incident, they expect the Lower House and its employees to be ready for next month’s State of Nation Address and joint session.

The swine flu death was reported a day after the House Committee on Health conducted a congressional hearing on the rising cases of A(H1N1) flu in the country.

“It is the height of irony that the first H1N1 death was an employee of the House and the news broke during the time when the House Committee on Health was conducting a hearing on H1N1 in the same building where the ill-fated employee was stationed,” said Deputy Minority Leader Roilo Golez.

Teodoro and Golez noted that the DOH failed to make a public disclosure of the cases involving House employees.

“I am angry to a certain extent because the DOH failed to inform us about it. Dapat siguro magkaroon ng House inquiry,” said Teodoro.

Teodoro said he only learned about the fate of his committee staff last week. He immediately sent financial assistance to the victim’s family, saying that he also contributed for a scholarship grant for one of her child.

The Marikina lawmaker said he was not aware of his staff’s ailment until it was announced Tuesday by Roque. He added that committee staff members had informed him that the victim died of heart failure.

In a press conference, Roque confirmed that the first A(H1N1)-related death in the country was that of a 49-year-old House employee.

Two more House workers, a member of the House Committee on Higher Education and the Congressional Planning and Budget Department, were believed to have been infected with the flu virus. One of them is showing signs of early recovery.

“Our Medical services will spearhead, in coordination with the DOH, all the necessary precautionary steps needed to eliminate further health hazards. This includes the necessary contact tracing of possible victims and their families,” Nograles said in a statement.

Employees of the House of Representatives, since Monday, have been receiving free flu vaccination which could be extended to members of their families by next week.

Nevertheless, Nograles also urged all employees to report any suspicious incidence or symptoms of said flu virus to help prevent further spread of the dreaded virus.

"The employees will all be monitored,” Nograles said in a text message when asked for his instructions amid the recent development.

He said that the medical department of the House “will work this out properly according to standard procedures.”