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Saturday, November 20, 2004
No outbreak yet in Baguio: Health department (4:00 p.m.)
MANILA -- The Department of Health (DoH) said it's too early to declare a meninggococcemia outbreak in Baguio City despite the death of eight patients suspected to have contracted the disease.
"We still cannot declare the presence of an outbreak of meningococcemia in Baguio City because there is no strong evidence that they died of meningococcemia. Health authorities are still waiting for the results of their studies which will be released in seven days," Dr. Luningning Villa, medical specialist of the National Center for Disease Prevention of the DoH, said in a radio interview.
Furthermore, she noted that some of the deaths could have been caused by an even more serious disease, such as severe and adrenal hemmorhage.
Four of the eight fatalities were confirmed to have died of meningococcemia.
The patients who succumbed to the disease came from Baguio and La Trinidad, Benguet.
Those infected by meningococcemia, a fast-acting bacterial infection, show symptoms of acute respiratory tract infection, cough and colds, vomiting and diarrhea. The illness can kill rapidly, especially when the victim is below 10 years old. Children can die of the infection in less than 24 hours.
The DoH said the disease is caused by Neisseria meningitides, a bacteria which causes throat infection. Eventually, the bacteria finds it way to the blood stream, causing malfunctions of the vital organs.
The Health department has advised people suffering these symptoms to immediately consult their physicians. (PNA)
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