FRONT liners, food handlers and servers in La Trinidad, Benguet are advised to wear face masks and place hand sanitizers as precautionary against the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
Mayor Romeo Salda directed department heads, all municipal employees, establishments within the town, schools and universities to wear masks due to the declaration of the World Health Organization (WHO) that the 2019-nCov outbreak is already a public health emergency and the Department of Health’s (DOH) recent announcement of a confirmed case of 2019-nCov in the country.
Salda, in his directive, asked public to observe proper hand and respiratory hygiene and safe food practices pursuant to WHO’s standards recommendations for the general public to reduce the virus spread.
Doctor Amelita Pangilinan, DOH - Cordillera regional director earlier also encouraged all health workers to be vigilant and take extra precautionary measures when in contact with patients with acute respiratory infection, especially those with travel history to Wuhan, China.
To recall, on December 31, 2019, clustering of pneumonia cases of unknown etiology was reported in Wuhan, China and the outbreak later determined to be caued by 2019-nCoV.
Coronavirus has a large family of viruses causing a range of illnesses, from the common cold to more serious infections such as those caused by Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-related coronavirus (Mers-Cov) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-related Coronavirus (Sars-CoV).
Common signs of coronavirus infection include flu-like and respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties.
In severe cases, it can cause pneumonia, acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and death.
Based on the DOH tracker on 2019-nCoV disclosed there were three confirmed cases in the country.