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Wednesday, April 02, 2003
CHO denies treating Sars patient
By Victor L. Camion
THE Dumaguete City Health Office denied reports that a patient infected with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) is confined in the city hospital.
Dr. Erlinda Cabrera said that her office has yet to confirm the report as she maintained that there has been no report of any Sars case in the country.
Cabrera assured that the Philippines has been removed from the list of Sars-affected countries.
But the city health office is not discounting the possibility that the Visayas could be susceptible to Sars because of the International Airport in Cebu.
Cabrera is confident that the Department of Health regional office is strictly conducting quarantine measures to monitor the possible entry of Sars affected passengers.
She said DOH is also strengthening quarantine measures at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
The city health officer assured that the maritime quarantine office is implementing the strict quarantine measures on passengers of sea vessels at the Dumaguete port as well as at the Sibulan-Dumaguete airport.
Dr. Cabrera, earlier advised residents against visiting Hong Kong and other countries affected by the killer pneumonia.
Cabrera issued the statement following the death through Sars of a Filipino domestic helper in Hong Kong last week.
Adelina Dalingay, 39, a native of Abra was the first Filipino worker who died of the disease overseas. She died at Hongkong's Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Another Filipino maid in Hong Kong, Merlita Luzon, is confined at the Prince of Wales Hospital also in Hongkong for SARS.
A stricter quarantine measure is now in place for passengers flying in from China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Vietnam.
Meanwhile Cabrera expressed doubt over concerns that the ukay-ukay products sold all over the province could be high risks for SARS.
She explained that there has been no study on ukay-ukay as a possible carrier of transmissible disease.
The health office said the World Health Organization is still studying the sources of SARS to determine if it is a viral or a bacterial disease.
But based on initial study, Dr. Cabrera said, SARS is an airborne virus belonging to the corona virus family and is transmitted person-to-person.
Corona virus is usually present when a person has colds.
The city health office also said that ukay-ukay products are first fumigated before being transported to other countries.
(April 2, 2003 issue)
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