Bacolod City Councilor Claudio Puentevella, chairperson of the City Council committee on health, urged the City Health Office (CHO) to intensify its information dissemination and monitoring efforts against the surge of respiratory illness among children in northern China.
This, after the Department of Health (DOH) earlier released its advisory following reports regarding the uptick of respiratory illnesses among children in northern China which is also based on the advisory of the World Health Organization.
“We’re well aware and it’s a very dangerous illness, especially for children and the elderly. My mother passed away a few months ago because of pneumonia,” Puentevella.
He said the public should be vigilant and observe proper hygiene to prevent the illnesses.
“Let’s help each other and those who experience this kind of symptoms should take it seriously and visit the doctor for a consultation,” he added.
Puentevella stressed that the CHO should conduct an awareness campaign for this pneumonia to prevent the increase of patients confined in various hospitals.
Puentevella said they will also ask the cooperation of the hospitals to coordinate with the CHO to determine the number of their pneumonia patients so they can act accordingly.
In its advisory, the DOH noted that since October, the WHO has been monitoring the increase in influenza-like illness in China. In November, the WHO noted reports from the media and the International Society for Infectious Diseases of clusters or undiagnosed pneumonia in children’s hospitals in select areas in China.
The DHO also urged the public especially children and elderly to stay vigilant and apply layers of protection, including voluntary masking, regular handwashing, ensuring adequate ventilation, isolating when ill, and most importantly, getting vaccinated.*