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Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Meningo scare eases; pupils back in school
By Joy G. Romares and Ben O. Tesiorna
* Principal insists baby in the neighborhood who recently died only suspected to have meningococcemia
* Health dep't official says situation already contained but admits DMC committed some lapses
CLASSES in the Matina Pangi Elementary School have resumed and pupils are back in their classrooms after fears of a meningococcemia outbreak have settled down.
Teachers and pupils did not show up in school last Monday after word in the community went around that a three-month-old baby, who lived just a few meters away from the school at Km. 9 in Matina Pangi, was rumored to have died of meningococcemia.
"We never suspended classes, but the students didn't show up because their parents didn't let them. Some of them showed up for school today," Marlyn Montecillo, principal of the Matina Pangi Elementary School, told Sun.Star Davao in the vernacular.
Montecillo added that health authorities has not confirmed that Jasmine, the three months old baby, died of meningococcemia.
Jasmine died Saturday night.
"I have a letter from the City Health Officer Josephine Villafuerte, it was not confirmed. The letter was actually given to City Schools Division Supt. Gloria Labor and it was passed on to me," Montecillo said.
Montecillo said there is no cause for panic adding that the baby has already been buried Tuesday afternoon.
No cause for alarm
Meanwhile, Department of Health (DOH) 11 said there is no cause for alarm as the DOH and the City Health Office are conducting surveillance of the area where the victim lived and on the relatives that the baby had come in contact with.
"There is nothing to fear dahil contained kaya lang may lapses din ang Davao Medical Center for the late reporting of the suspected meningococcemia case," said Dr. Salvador Estrera, assistant director of DOH 11.
Estrera, however, said the lapse was excusable because the patient was already dead upon reaching the hospital.
"Hospitals should immediately report to DOH any slightest suspicion of meningococcemia case regardless of what day the patient was admitted to the hospital," he said.
The baby's parents rushed the victim to the Davao Medical Center (DMC) Saturday after she suffered convulsion.
Jasmine is actually the third suspected case of meningococcemia in the city.
One child was suspected to have contracted the disease but has survived.
The first meningococcemia case in the city died at the Davao Doctors' Hospital in September, this year.
Not as contagious
Meningococcemia is caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitides that dwells in the nose and throat and is acquired through close physical contact with the victim.
The DOH said while the disease is not as contagious as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars), the disease merits concern because of its high fatality rate of 20 to 50 percent adding that the bacteria damages the brain wall and can result to death in a matter of 24 hours.
While it is a droplet infection and is transmitted through very close contact, it is not airborne and thus does not travel very far.
It is impossible then for a person to be infected by the air he breathes.
Patients with meningococcemia develop high fever, respiratory problem, rashes and vomiting.
However, it can mimic other diseases and could be mistaken as dengue or typhoid in most cases so once symptoms such as fever, cough or sore throat set in, one should see a doctor for evaluation.
Records showed that in 2000, there had been 61 cases of meningococcemia in the country, 39 in 2001, 30 in 2002, 39 in 2003 and 32 in 2004 but said deaths could
reach as high as 30 percent, DOH records showed.
DOH warned the public against taking antibiotics without consulting doctors since it may instead cause side effects such as allergies and drug resistance.
(December 15, 2004 issue)
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