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Thursday, January 22, 2004
Tsinoy from Taiwan under Sars watch
CEBU -- Eight months after the country was declared free of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars), a 65-year-old male patient was brought to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) after showing signs of the disease.
However, WL (patient's real name withheld) has a chronic kidney problem so he will likely be cleared after results of the tests done on him are released, Dr. Junjie Zuasula of the Department of Health (DOH) 7 said yesterday.
WL, a Filipino-Chinese national, arrived in Cebu from Taiwan last
Sunday and developed fever, cough, colds and epigastric pain soon after his arrival. He also reportedly suffered from diarrhea on Wednesday.
Doctors at a private hospital recommended his transfer to the VSMMC Sars unit at 5 a.m. Tuesday, where he is undergoing observation.
As a precautionary measure, those who were in close contact with the patient were also asked to confine themselves at home for 10 days, Zuasula added.
WL is the first suspected Sars case reported in Cebu City this year and the 19th in the city since the deadly virus caused a scare in Asia last year.
Zuasula said the patient was immediately given antibiotics, although his cough is not that bad.
He also believes it is unlikely that WL acquired the flu-like disease since there is no "Sars activity" in Taiwan.
Like the 18 others who were confined at the VSMMC and the Cebu North General Hospital last year, WL has a good chance of being cleared.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Philippines free of Sars last May 21, 2003.
A Filipina domestic worker died in a Manila hospital a few weeks ago but health officials denied it was due to Sars.
Last month, WHO confirmed that a scientist in Taiwan had tested positive of Sars, but Zuasula said there is no cause for alarm until there is a "community transmission" in Taiwan. CYR
(January 22, 2004 issue)
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