MANILA, Philippines?Two boys under observation for possible infection from the A/H1N1 influenza virus have been cleared, but four other people remain under observation for signs of the virus as of Thursday, Health Undersecretary Mario Villaverde said.

The boys, aged 12 and 9, who were confined at the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Alabang, Muntinlupa, after their arrival from South Korea, tested negative for the virus, Villaverde said.

The two were among the five cases under observation announced last Wednesday by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

The laboratory results for the three other cases are still pending, said Villaverde.

The three are a 32-year-old Filipino overseas worker who arrived from Ireland and a 26-year-old Caucasian woman who arrived from the United Kingdom, both of whom are confined at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu; and a 29-year-old Filipino who arrived from the United States and is now confined at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila.

Caucasian cleared

The total number of cases under observation was brought to four Thursday, with the case of a 37-year-old Filipino woman (not 27 years old as previously reported) who arrived from Canada on May 6 with flu symptoms and was also brought to San Lazaro Hospital, said Villaverde.

The DOH Central Visayas office in Cebu announced on Thursday, however, that the 26-year-old Caucasian woman confined at the VSMMC tested negative for the A/H1N1 virus and was discharged also Thursday.

Earlier, an 11-year-old girl who arrived from South Korea with flu symptoms was also brought to the RITM, where she later tested negative for A/H1N1.

In its update as of Thursday, the DOH said the cases under observation from May 1-6 totaled 12, eight of which tested negative for the A/H1N1 virus, previously referred to as swine flu.

Five of the 12 cases involved Filipinos, and the rest foreigners. They range in age from nine to 80 years. Seven are males, and the rest female. All 12 were confined at the RITM, San Lazaro and VSMMC.

Free to travel

Dr. Cora-Lou Kintanar, spokesperson for DOH Central Visayas, said the 26-year-old Caucasian woman, a tourist from the United Kingdom, volunteered to be confined at the VSMMC on Monday, eight days after she arrived in Cebu from Mexico. She had no fever but was suffering from mild coughing.

Kintanar said the woman was now free to travel anywhere in the country although she has to inform her points of destination that she had been put under observation in Cebu City for possible A/H1N1 infection.

The second VSMMC patient, the 32-year-old OFW who arrived from Ireland, remained in isolation, Kintanar said. The results of his laboratory tests would likely be known Friday.

The OFW was brought to VSMMC on Tuesday shortly after he arrived from Hong Kong and was found to have fever when he passed through the thermal scan. He was given a swab test the same day and the samples sent by courier to the RITM in Manila.

The OFW?s wife, who arrived with him, opted to stay in isolation with her husband even if she was not ill. The couple are residents of Misamis Occidental.

In Hong Kong, four Filipinos, including one that was reported only Thursday, will be released on Friday from a seven-day quarantine at the Metropark Hotel in Wanchai, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Thursday.

Rebooking fees waived

The DFA said the Philippine consulate was informed only Thursday by Hong Kong authorities that a fourth Filipina was also quarantined in the same hotel.

The four Filipinos are a woman who was billeted at the hotel with her son and her Australian husband, a woman from Cebu, and another Filipina from a third country.

Philippine Airlines has announced that it is waiving the rebooking and refund penalties for passengers who are afraid to travel because of the A/H1N1 outbreak.

PAL will rebook flights or refund tickets without penalties on international sectors only and within the ticket validity period, if presented on May 31, 2009. With Cynthia D. Balana