CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Philippine Red Cross (PRC) chairman/CEO and Senator Richard Gordon has assured the public that there is no need to panic over the reported “mystery” disease from China.
In a statement to SunStar Pampanga Tuesday, January 7, Gordon said that the cause of the “mystery” disease from Wuhan, China has not been determined and that there has been no reported human-to-human transmission.
“Until the cause is known, there is no need for undue panic or anxiety. Meanwhile, the situation needs to be monitored and preparations should be in place in the event that the disease spreads,” he said in the statement.
He called on the government to monitor the situation in Wuhan, China and take necessary preparations in the event the disease spreads.
The PRC chief also commended the Department of Health for ordering the Bureau of Quarantine to be on alert and for ordering tightened screening of all incoming travelers, given the significant number of workers from China.
“However, given the significant number of workers from China, including those involved in POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) - it is prudent for the Philippines to ask these travelers to declare if they have travelled to Wuhan and if so, be requested to be subjected to screening and a temperature check with minimum inconvenience as they enter the country,” he added.
The DOH earlier ordered strict monitoring of all incoming travelers amid reports of a mysterious disease from China that has sparked fears of a return of the dreaded severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III assured the public that the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) is on alert and is closely watching all seaports and airports in response to reports of the mysterious disease. Duque instructed the BOQ to intensify the checking of all incoming travelers especially those manifesting fever or signs of respiratory infection.
It has been reported lately that an outbreak of a mysterious illness has affected 44 individuals in China. According to reports, the disease is similar to a “viral pneumonia of unknown origin.”