Treyfish
Moderator
DOH, other agencies monitoring all ports of entry, arriving OFWs
by Genalyn D. Kabiling & Raymund F, Antonio
August 11, 2014 (updated)
To keep the country free from the Ebola virus, the government has stepped up measures to screen persons arriving in the country from places hit by the deadly disease.
Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said yesterday the Department of Health (DOH) and other agencies are monitoring all of the country?s airports and seaports. Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) coming from countries affected with the Ebola virus are also being monitored, he said.
?According to the Department of Health, the Philippines remains Ebola-free. No case of Ebola has been reported in the country,? Coloma said over government radio in Filipino.
DOH Spokesperson Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy earlier said the Ebola virus could get to Philippine shores through the 3,000 to 5,000 Filipino workers in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea and through Filipino peacekeeping troops working for the United Nations in Liberia.
Although national agencies are on tight watch against Ebola, Luy encouraged local government units (LGUs) to also mobilize themselves as front-liners in curbing the entry of the deadly virus.
Meanwhile, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Jose Angel Honrado said yesterday he will seek assistance from the Department of Health (DOH), through the Bureau of Human Quarantine, to conduct an Ebola awareness campaign soon at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
?To the best we can and as far as allowable under government regulations, we are willing to support the Bureau of Human Quarantine to run an awareness campaign in NAIA,? Honrado said in a statement.
He underscored the importance of public awareness on the Ebola virus even as authorities are conducting strict monitoring of arriving passengers with connecting flights from West Africa.
?The intention is to keep everyone informed about Ebola and how they can do their jobs everyday without living in fear or anxiety,? Honrado said.
?While there is news in tri-media, it?s different when you hear it from people of authority to speak on the issue,? he added.
Like the 2002 campaign against the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), airport authorities will be doing the same collaboration with the Bureau of Quarantine as part of the first line of defense in preventing the entry of Ebola in the country.
The authorities have been monitoring all flights into the country through thermal digital scanners and are examining passengers with fever and cough.
The World Health Organization (WHO) earlier declared that the Ebola epidemic in West Africa has become an international health risk. The Geneva-based UN health agency has called for coordinated international response to stop the spread of the disease emanating from Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.
At present, Ebola has no proven cure or vaccine to prevent infection.
Coloma reiterated the assurance given by Health Secretary Enrique Ona that the government has sufficient capacity to respond to an Ebola epidemic.
He added that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) are coordinating with the DOH to monitor the OFWs who recently arrived from Ebola-hit countries.
At least 15 Filipino workers coming from Sierra Leone were immediately placed under surveillance by the health department.
The first eight were declared safe from the deadly virus last month. Recently, five more of the returning workers have also reportedly been cleared after showing no symptom of the Ebola virus.
CLARK ON HIGH ALERT
Meanwhile in Clark Freeport, Pampanga, Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) President/CEO Victor Luciano said over the weekend that there is no room for complacency about the Ebola virus.
In an interview, Luciano said security and surveillance personnel at the airport remains on high alert status to avert entry of possible Ebola-carriers.
?The outbreak in Africa has been declared as international public health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO). Until such time WHO declares it otherwise, we shall continue to monitor entry of passengers coming from all countries as some of these are transit passengers from Africa,?? said Luciano.
The CIAC president pointed out that strict surveillance and monitoring is not limited to potential Ebola carriers. ?We are always on guard about everything. It is heightened when the need for it arises.??
He said Clark has the equipment to spot a potential carrier of the Ebola virus, which has so far killed at least 961 people in West Africa and caused the largest and longest outbreaks since 1976. (With a report from Franco G. Regala):tiphat:http://www.mb.com.ph/govt-boosts-drive-vs-ebola/
Philippines 7 people were tested positive for Ebola
:tiphat:
:tiphat:https://translate.google.com/transl...m-se-co-nguy-co-cao-011316842.html&edit-text=
by Genalyn D. Kabiling & Raymund F, Antonio
August 11, 2014 (updated)
To keep the country free from the Ebola virus, the government has stepped up measures to screen persons arriving in the country from places hit by the deadly disease.
Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said yesterday the Department of Health (DOH) and other agencies are monitoring all of the country?s airports and seaports. Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) coming from countries affected with the Ebola virus are also being monitored, he said.
?According to the Department of Health, the Philippines remains Ebola-free. No case of Ebola has been reported in the country,? Coloma said over government radio in Filipino.
DOH Spokesperson Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy earlier said the Ebola virus could get to Philippine shores through the 3,000 to 5,000 Filipino workers in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea and through Filipino peacekeeping troops working for the United Nations in Liberia.
Although national agencies are on tight watch against Ebola, Luy encouraged local government units (LGUs) to also mobilize themselves as front-liners in curbing the entry of the deadly virus.
Meanwhile, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Jose Angel Honrado said yesterday he will seek assistance from the Department of Health (DOH), through the Bureau of Human Quarantine, to conduct an Ebola awareness campaign soon at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
?To the best we can and as far as allowable under government regulations, we are willing to support the Bureau of Human Quarantine to run an awareness campaign in NAIA,? Honrado said in a statement.
He underscored the importance of public awareness on the Ebola virus even as authorities are conducting strict monitoring of arriving passengers with connecting flights from West Africa.
?The intention is to keep everyone informed about Ebola and how they can do their jobs everyday without living in fear or anxiety,? Honrado said.
?While there is news in tri-media, it?s different when you hear it from people of authority to speak on the issue,? he added.
Like the 2002 campaign against the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), airport authorities will be doing the same collaboration with the Bureau of Quarantine as part of the first line of defense in preventing the entry of Ebola in the country.
The authorities have been monitoring all flights into the country through thermal digital scanners and are examining passengers with fever and cough.
The World Health Organization (WHO) earlier declared that the Ebola epidemic in West Africa has become an international health risk. The Geneva-based UN health agency has called for coordinated international response to stop the spread of the disease emanating from Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.
At present, Ebola has no proven cure or vaccine to prevent infection.
Coloma reiterated the assurance given by Health Secretary Enrique Ona that the government has sufficient capacity to respond to an Ebola epidemic.
He added that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) are coordinating with the DOH to monitor the OFWs who recently arrived from Ebola-hit countries.
At least 15 Filipino workers coming from Sierra Leone were immediately placed under surveillance by the health department.
The first eight were declared safe from the deadly virus last month. Recently, five more of the returning workers have also reportedly been cleared after showing no symptom of the Ebola virus.
CLARK ON HIGH ALERT
Meanwhile in Clark Freeport, Pampanga, Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) President/CEO Victor Luciano said over the weekend that there is no room for complacency about the Ebola virus.
In an interview, Luciano said security and surveillance personnel at the airport remains on high alert status to avert entry of possible Ebola-carriers.
?The outbreak in Africa has been declared as international public health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO). Until such time WHO declares it otherwise, we shall continue to monitor entry of passengers coming from all countries as some of these are transit passengers from Africa,?? said Luciano.
The CIAC president pointed out that strict surveillance and monitoring is not limited to potential Ebola carriers. ?We are always on guard about everything. It is heightened when the need for it arises.??
He said Clark has the equipment to spot a potential carrier of the Ebola virus, which has so far killed at least 961 people in West Africa and caused the largest and longest outbreaks since 1976. (With a report from Franco G. Regala):tiphat:http://www.mb.com.ph/govt-boosts-drive-vs-ebola/
Philippines 7 people were tested positive for Ebola
:tiphat:
:tiphat:https://translate.google.com/transl...m-se-co-nguy-co-cao-011316842.html&edit-text=