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Thursday, April 03, 2003
Not time yet to wear masks: Sars crisis chief
By Minerva S. Zamora
SAN FERNANDO -- A health official said Wednesday that victims of the dreaded killer disease Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) reported to be spreading in some Asian countries could be saved from possible death under proper treatment.
Department of Health 3 assistant director Eric Tayag pointed out that only 60 of the 1,500 victims of Sars reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) died.
This shows, Tayag said, that at least 97 percent of the victims cheated death and are still recovering.
Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit, designated Wednesday by President Arroyo as Sars crisis manager, said in Manila all hospitals in the country were ready to receive Sars cases and that "it is not yet time to wear masks."
Pampanga provincial department heads were briefed Wednesday on the proper action to take concerning possible Sars victims and the measures to implement to prevent its entry and spread in the country.
Tayag said the public should not become complacent and must take precautionary measures and follow the health department's advisory on Sars.
It is important to first determine the symptoms of Sars, he pointed out.
The WHO said Sars victims usually experience: fever of at least 38 degrees, one or more of the common respiratory illness including dry and hard cough, shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing or hypoxia, and darkening of the skin.
Twin crisis
"The Sars crisis is the twin crisis of the Iraq war. We are dealing with this in the same concerted and coordinated manner as the crisis involving concerned agencies, principally the Department of Health, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Foreign Affairs, and Bureau of Immigration," said President Arroyo in interview in Bais City, Negros Oriental.
She ordered DOH to coordinate with the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Navy in imposing stricter security measures in the country's major ports "so that the seafarers could also be checked."
Arroyo said the security measures implemented at the NAIA against Sars are "very good."
According to Tayag, people who traveled from Hong Kong, China, Vietnam and Singapore and arrived in the country after February 1 must be immediately quarantined and observed in hospitals for 10 days to find out if they have the symptoms.
As for those who came from the countries but do not have such symptoms, they are still advised to practice self-quarantine and stay inside their houses for seven to 10 days from their arrival.
Tayag said the health department has come up with five steps to prevent Sars from entering and spreading in the community contained in the acronym Sarsi. S is for surveillance and public information; A for avoidance of travel to Sars-affected areas; R for respiratory precautions; S for solitary confinement; and I for infection control practices in hospitals.
Tayag also said that those who are quarantined and treated in the hospitals should have their own comfort room and wash area.
He added that attending health aide or aides should wear surgical masks and goggles for safety. The suspected Sars victim, on the other hand, should also wear surgical mask and must keep at least three feet away from other persons.
Crisis team
During the regular teleconference held on board the ferry mv San Ramon de Bohol, Arroyo ordered Dayrit to set up his own crisis team composed of representatives from the health, labor, and foreign affairs departments, Bureau of Immigration, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Navy and NAIA officials.
Dayrit's designation as Sars crisis chief is on the same level as National Security Adviser Roilo Golez, who is the crisis manager for the Iraq war.
She also told Dayrit to designate his crisis officer who would be stationed in Hong Kong, just like special envoy Roy Cimatu, who is head of the Middle East Preparedness Team (MEPT).
"We must try to lock out the disease as much as possible while keeping an eye on sustaining normal and commercial immigration activities...Life must go on but we must take important precautions," she added.
Dayit said there are now 1,804 Sars cases worldwide, 685 of which came from Hong Kong.
Arroyo said Victoria Bataclan, Philippine consul general to Hong Kong, declined to leave her post until the Sars crisis is over. Bataclan has been appointed ambassador to Sweden.
Bataclan said there are 25 OFWs in Hong Kong suspected of having Sars. They are already being checked up.
She advised Filipinos in Hong Kong who are going on a Lenten vacation to the Philippines not to pursue their travel plans if they have symptoms of respiratory ailments.
Three layers
Earlier, the DOH has already determined three layers of strategies to prevent Sars from entering and spreading around the country.
"The first layer is cordoning off the victims in the countries they are staying. We expect those found to be afflicted with contagious diseases to be quarantined and treated in the foreign countries before they are allowed to board airlines to fly back home," Tayag said.
He said in instances when victims of contagious diseases are not detected in their countries of origin, the Bureau of Quarantine has been placed on alert at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) as additional precaution.
The third layer of protection against contamination would be the issuance of public advisories and the alert raised for public hospitals nationwide to immediately report cases of unusual ailments not only among Filipinos who have returned from abroad, but also among tourists, he said.
"We have also decided to issue such advisory to private hospitals. The hospitals are now told to report new syndromes they find difficulty in diagnosing," he added.
Provincial Administrator Benalfre Galang, who organized the Sars briefing upon the request of Gov. Lito Lapid, said the provincial disaster coordinating council and the Capitol response team have been alerted in case Sars victims are detected in the community.
Lapid earlier agreed with the National Government's plan to use Clark airport as holding area for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) afflicted with Sars.
The governor said the OFWs should not be denied their right to return home even if they are sick. Sun.Star Pampanga/Sunnex Luzon
(April 3, 2003 issue)
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