ILOILO CITY, Philippines – The Philippine Government through President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III has directed the Department of Health to mobilize the Task Force MERS-CoV to create heightened awareness among people on the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Corona Virus (MERS-CoV).
In a press conference, Department of Health (DOH)-6 Regional Director Marlyn Convocar, citing Health Secretary Enrique Ona’s statement, said that there is still no epidemic or outbreak of MERS-CoV in the Middle East or the Arabian peninsula.
Convocar said that Secretary Ona has approved the issuance of Bureau of Quarantine alert bulletins to those travelling from the Middle East and through the international airports as a precaution.
Of the 415 passengers of the Etihad Airlines flight EY 0424 heading for the Philippines on April 15, a male Filipino nurse tested positive for the MERS-CoV when he was still in the United Arab Emirates.
However, in a DOH statement released Saturday, the male nurse referred as “index passenger” tested negative for the virus based on the findings of the examination conducted by the Research Institute for Tropical Medi cine (RITM).
Convocar said that of the 415 passengers, 18 are from Western Visayas. Of the number, 5 are from Iloilo, 4 are from Antique, 4 from Capiz, 3 from Negros Occidental, one from Aklan and another one from Guimaras.
She said that out of these 18, 11 have been traced and brought to the hospitals for swab testing. Their specimens have been sent to the RITM for MERS-CoV examination. The remaining seven are still outside the region.
The DOH official said that on instructions of the President, the health department is working closely with all concerned government agencies to ensure the health and safety of our people.
The DOH-6 has established hotline number 508-8088 that may be called by citizens and foreign nationals residing in Western Visayas who may need assistance regarding the disease. Citizens may also e-mail chd6hems.opcen@gmail.com.
Convocar said that MERS-Corona virus is a communicable disease so it is important that we all work together to prevent the infection from spreading.
