Philippines: DoH confirms 9 local cases of Zika virus this year

[tetano]

The Philippines confirmed on Monday its first case of the Zika virus this year and said it was "highly likely" it had been locally transmitted, and it expected more cases after stepping up surveillance.
A 45-year old woman who lives in Iloilo city in the central Philippines has the virus, Dr Eric Tayag, spokesman at the health ministry, told a media briefing.
The woman is not pregnant, he said, and was recovering at her home. It was considered "highly likely" she had contracted the virus locally as she had no history of travel to any affected country in the past two weeks, Tayag said.
The Philippines reported its first case of Zika in 2012, that of a teenaged boy in Cebu island in the central Philippines. Four subsequent cases were foreigners.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-zika-philippines-idUSKCN11B1D9

 

[sharon sanders]

DoH confirmation....


Secretary Paulyn Jean B. Rosell Ubial today announced that a 45-year-old female, married, non-pregnant from Iloilo City was the first confirmed case of Zika in 2016 as reported to the DOH Secretary this afternoon. This case was most likely due to local transmission since there was no history of travel to any affected country in the past two weeks.

Zika First Case in PH

?On August 31, she presented with skin rash and joint pains not accompanied by fever. She was confined in a local hospital where urine and blood were collected. She was subsequently discharged the following day. She tested positive for both specimens. Currently, she is at home recovering from her very mild illness. The tests were done at RITM. The Department of Health (DOH) expects additional cases after intensifying its surveillance efforts,? Secretary Ubial explained

Zika is primarily transmitted through the bite of Aedes mosquito. Sexual transmission has been reported in other countries. Zika presents with a very mild illness but has caused neurologic defects (microcephaly) in babies born of infected mothers.

The DOH has coordinated with local officials to intensify mosquito control efforts including targeted fogging.

Secretary Ubial reminds everyone to be ?Good Citizens? by avoiding mosquito bites to protect against Zika and to prevent its spread. It is also very important that mosquito breeding sites are destroyed. Mosquito precautions should be observed by travelers as well as residents. These should include use of approved insect repellents, wearing of clothing that prevent skin exposure to mosquito bites and use of mosquito bed nets. The same measures will also protect us from dengue and chikungunya.

Anyone who presents with skin rash with any of the following: fever, red eyes, or joint pains should seek consult at any government health facility. All pregnant women are advised to consult anytime.

?The key to Zika prevention is heightened vigilance and stronger community efforts of every households.? Secretary Ubial concluded.

http://www.doh.gov.ph/node/7356

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

2 more persons positive of Zika virus in Iloilo City

Tuesday, September 13, 2016


TWO more individuals in Iloilo city were tested positive of Zika virus as confirmed by the Department of Health (DOH), Tuesday, September 13.

The DOH Epidemiology Bureau confirmed the two new cases based from the test results done at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).

It also confirmed that the two victims were living in the same household of the first confirmed case, the 45-year-old woman, resident of Barangay Benedicto in Jaro district.

Both cases were presented with mild skin rash not accompanied by other signs and symptoms unlike the first confirmed case that was presented with skin rash, joint pains, and red eyes.

Meanwhile, the two victims have already recovered from their mild illness and were not hospitalized.

None of the victims are also pregnant.

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Two sisters test positive for Zika

Tuesday 13 september 2016

PETALING JAYA: The Health Ministry has confirmed reports of a fifth and sixth Zika case involving a pair of sisters, one of whom is two months pregnant.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam said the fifth victim, a 35-year-old woman who is two months pregnant, had gone to a private clinic on Sept 6 after complaining of prolonged fever, flu, and sore throat.

"A test conducted by a private lab in Kuala Lumpur showed that the patient tested positive for Zika. She was admitted to the Miri Hospital on Sept 11 for further tests," he said in a statement on Tuesday.

Dr Subramaniam said the patient had previously worked in Singapore and last visited the island from July 24-29.


Meanwhile, the Ministry also confirmed that the sixth victim, a 39-year-old woman who lives in Kuala Lumpur, is the sister to the fifth patient.

"The sixth case is a contact and sister to the fifth case. She is a 39-year-old woman who lives in Setapak and was admitted to a hospital in Kuala Lumpur on Sept 11. The patient began developing rashes on Sept 6," Dr Subramaniam said.

The Ministry confirmed that both women had come into recent contact with each other as the latter had visited her sister in Miri on Aug 26 and returned to Kuala Lumpur on Sept 6.

 

[Pathfinder]

DOH issues Zika advisory in Iloilo

BY LYDIA C. PENDON ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2016 REGIONS

ILOILO CITY: The City Health Office in this city advised the public not to panic over the reported spread of the Zika virus and explained there is no existing travel ban to Iloilo City but only a Zika virus advisory.

The Department of Health (DOH), however, maintained that the Zika risk to most travelers in Iloilo is low.

The Zika virus advisory for travelers to Iloilo was issued by the DOH after testing confirmation from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) that found three persons positive for the mosquito virus in Barangay Benedicto in Jaro district here.

...
http://www.manilatimes.net/doh-issues-zika-advisory-in-iloilo/286753/

 

[Pathfinder]

DOH URGES PUBLIC TO FIGHT MOSQUITOES AS IT RELEASES PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF ZIKA INVESTIGATION IN ILOILO

Health Secretary Paulyn Jean B. Rosell-Ubial orders for more intensive mosquito control campaigns following new reports from the Department of Health (DOH) after the first confirmed case of locally-transmitted Zika Virus Disease in Iloilo City as announced last week.

According to reports from the DOH Epidemiology Bureau, two more cases, living in the same household as the first confirmed case, tested positive for the Zika virus based on test results done at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine. Both cases presented with mild skin rash not accompanied by other signs and symptoms unlike the first confirmed case who presented with skin rash, joint pains and red eyes. All three cases have since recovered from their mild illness and did not require hospitalization. Fortunately, none of these cases are pregnant.
Local transmission was confined only within the affected household. However, continuous monitoring of suspected cases for another month will be implemented by DOH to determine extent of local transmission in the country led by DOH Regional Offices.

The investigation also included household survey to establish relevant mosquito larvae/pupae link to the confirmed cases. There were 88 households visited around and near the residence of the confirmed cases. Most of the the containers identified as mosquito breeding sites were positive for larvae/pupae of Aedes aegypti, the principal mosquito vector for the Zika virus.

Secretary Ubial urged all local government units (LGUs) to implement intensive mosquito control campaigns to stop the spread of Zika virus. Individuals who present with symptoms of rash, joint pains, and red eyes must visit health facilities to confirm the diagnosis. The public is advised to avoid mosquito bites by all means possible to prevent new infections and spread of the Zika virus. Environmental clean-up to get rid of mosquito breeding sites should be done including targeted and pre-planned fogging to reduce adult mosquito density.

Pregnant women and those who have potential to be pregnant are advised to visit their doctors for any illness developed during and around their pregnancy.

DOH will support LGUs by distributing insecticide treated mosquito nets, insecticides and IEC materials to maintain a high level of awareness against Zika. The Bureau of Quarantine will continue to screen incoming travellers to identify travel-associated Zika.

“Let’s go back to basics; we always say that prevention is better than cure. Prevention should start from our home. Make 4S a regular habit and participate in cleaning activities initiated in our community. 4S means Search & destroymosquito breeding places, use Self-protection measures, Seek early consultation for fever lasting more than 2 days, and Say NO to indiscriminate fogging.” Secretary Ubial concluded.

http://www.doh.gov.ph/node/7410

 

[Pathfinder]

6 more Zika cases discovered ? DOH

by Samuel Medenilla
September 20, 2016

The Department of Health (DOH) announced yesterday it has detected six more new confirmed Zika virus cases in the country.

Dr. Eric Tayag, DOH spokesman, disclosed that apart from the three Zika patients reported earlier in Iloilo City, there are four more cases in the same city; one new case in Cebu City; and another case in Region 4-A or Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon).

?All mentioned cases had no history of travel to other countries within a month preceding onset of illness. All presented with skin rashes accompanied by joint pains or fever conjunctivitis and are expected to have recovered by this time,? Tayag said during a press conference in DOH?s main office in Manila yesterday.

This brings the total number of recorded local cases of Zika virus since 2012 to 14. Nine of these incidents were from this year.
...
http://www.mb.com.ph/6-more-zika-cases-discovered-doh/

 

[Pathfinder]

[FONT=&quot]DOH INTENSIFIES DRIVE AGAINST ZIKA AS SIX MORE CONFIRMED CASES WERE DISCOVERED

The Department of Health (DOH) confirmed an addition of six (6) new cases of Zika in 2016, bringing the total number to 9. All these cases were reported by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) this September.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Of the total 9 cases this year, six were females; ages of these 9 cases ranged from 9 years old to 49 years old. Seven out of 9 cases came from Iloilo City (Western Visayas); one from Cebu City (Central Visayas); and one from Laguna Province (CALABARZON).[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]?All mentioned cases had no history of travel to other countries within a month preceding onset of illness. All presented with skin rashes accompanied by joint pains or fever or conjunctivitis and are expected to have recovered by this time.? Health Secretary Paulyn Jean B. Rosell-Ubial said.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Relative to this, the health chief added that the DOH has sent quick response teams to gather more information about the new cases as well as to support affected areas in their drive against Zika.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The DOH has focused its efforts to prevent and control ZIKA spread through the 4S Strategy. The 4S means (1) Search and destroy mosquito breeding places, (2) Self-protection measures like using insect repellent and mosquito bed nets especially at day time, as well as the use of condom for protection against this sexually transmitted infection, (3) Seek early consultation for skin rashes and fever, joint pain or red eyes, and (4) Say Yes to fogging when there is an impending outbreak.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Presently, the RITM has enough reagents to carry out tests for over 1,000 suspected cases. Likewise, the DOH has ample supply of mosquito nets and insecticides available for distribution to the local government units.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]?We want to continuously remind everyone to join us in preventing mosquito-borne diseases. It should start within our homes. Let us instill cleanliness in our surroundings and make it a practice in our communities. Together, let us eliminate breeding sites of mosquitoes and protect our family and community from any illnesses that they may bring. Be A Good Citizen; when you avoid bites, you avoid spreading the Zika virus to your family and the community. Let us work together to attain our vision of all for health towards health for all? Secretary Ubial concluded.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]DOH Hotlines are established 24/7 where calls may be made by our citizens who may need assistance. They may be reached thru 711-1001 or 711-1002.

http://www.doh.gov.ph/node/7531[/FONT]