Ferliza C. Contratista
CEBU
CITY, April 28 (PIA) -- The Department of Health
(DOH-7) reminds the public to be on guard of the deadly viruses
of ebola and the Middle East Respiratory Sydrome Coronavirus (MersCov).
In a recent meeting of the Cebu Association of City and Municipal
Public Information Officers (CAOCAMPIO), DOH-7
chief epidemiologist, Dr. Rennan Cimafranca said the suppression of
these emerging infectious diseases should be given importance by every
municipality and city in Cebu.
"These infectious diseases are among the health-threatening challenges the world is facing today" said Dr. Cimafranca.
He added the DOH
had managed to prevent the spread of these deadly viruses in the country over the past months.
Cimafranca reported
so far World Health Organization (WHO) has not issued a specific treatment for Mers-CoV and Ebola.
What they are doing so far is the extension of medical care supports.
“We are thankful that so far there is no case of ebola and MERS COV in the Philippines,” Cimafranca said.
At the local level, DOH also strengthened surveillance and constant monitoring of passengers in all seaports and airports.
In fact, there are ambulances dedicated to deliver any suspected cases in their respective quarantine facilities, said Dr. Cimafranca.
Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) and Bureau of Quarantine ( BOQ) are the cooperating institutions in providing medical supports to prevent wide spread of these diseases.
Ebola virus disease (EVD; also Ebola hemorrhagic fever, or EHF) or simply Ebola, is a disease of humans and other primates caused by ebolavirus. Signs and symptoms typically start between two days and three weeks after contracting the virus with a fever, sore throat, muscular pain, and
headahes.
Most people infected with MERS-CoV developed severe acute respiratory illness, including fever, cough, and shortness of breath. (mbcn/fcc/PIA7-Cebu/with reports from Caren P. Gabisay, CTU Devcom Intern)