Philippine top legislator on Tuesday ordered the suspension of work in the House of Representatives after one of its employees infected with A/H1N1 Influenza virus died, the first death case of the novel flu in Asia.

House Speaker Prospero Nograles said the closure of the Batasan Pambansa complex, or the House compound, will last until June 28, to allow safety and preventive measures to be implemented.

Nograles' order came one day after the Department of Health announced that a 49-year-old woman tested positive for A/H1N1 flu died of heart disease on June 19, or last Friday.

"The latest reported casualty is one of our employees," Nograles said in a statement. "Our Medical services will spearhead all the necessary precautionary steps needed to eliminate further health hazards. This includes the necessary contact tracing of possible victims and their families".

About 3,000 employees of the House have been receiving free flu vaccination since Monday and it could be extended to members of their families by next week, the statement said.

By Monday, the Philippine health authorities have reported 445 confirmed A/H1N1 influenza cases, but 374 of them, or 84 percent, have fully recovered.

(Xinhua News Agency June 23, 2009)